Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I again raise the issue of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018. This was debated at great length in the House a number of years ago. This month, a number of provisions of the Act were commenced in law. There was great division among Members and great debates when the Bill was going through the House. Ultimately, the Bill was passed. One matter every Member agreed on was minimum unit pricing, but that is the one aspect of the Act that has not been commenced. This week, Tesco is selling cans of alcohol for 70 cent per can, which is €14 for a slab. I cannot understand why the provision dealing with minimum unit pricing in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 cannot be implemented at this stage, particularly when we have a lockdown and people cannot travel further than 5 km. For a long time, one could not travel from county to county. We were waiting for Northern Ireland and the South to agree on a date to introduce minimum unit pricing together. It has been a great success in Scotland, so for the life of me I cannot understand it. This was a contentious issue and one that, in every Member's view, would bring realism to the price of alcohol.

Why has it not been introduced at this stage? The Government should treat it as a priority, but obviously it is not a priority. It is also not a priority for Dr. Holohan, even though he said it was at the time. I ask that minimum unit pricing be introduced.