Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Health and Children

Alcohol Policy

11:00 pm

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 159: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the person who is the national adviser on alcohol policy; if the Health Service Executive now has responsibility for this appointment; and, if so, the reason therefor, given that responsibility for alcohol policy and legislation remains with the Department of Health and Children. [11692/06]

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Health and Children remains responsible for the development of alcohol policy. However, it is recognised that an integrated approach is required for effective implementation. The Department has led on the establishment of a strategic task force on alcohol and a working group on alcohol and the three reports of these groups form the basis for current alcohol policy. Since the restructuring of the Department, the Health Service Executive has assumed responsibility for the implementation of many of the recommendations outlined in these reports. It is a matter for the HSE to decide on the structural requirements and levels of expertise needed in this regard.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 160: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has made submissions to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in respect of having alcohol excluded from the relaxation of below-cost selling upon the revocation of the groceries order. [11693/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 161: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to set up an office of alcohol control or to take other measures to deal with the consequences of below-cost selling of alcohol since the repeal of the groceries order. [11694/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 162: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason that assessment of the need for general warnings on alcoholic beverages has been given to the working group on alcohol as opposed to the strategic task force on alcohol. [11695/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 167: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason that assessment of the need for pregnancy specific warnings on alcoholic beverages is being left to the working group on alcohol, whose membership includes no experts on foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. [11700/06]

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 to 162, inclusive, and 167 together.

The working group on alcohol was established under the special initiative on tackling alcohol and drug misuse in Sustaining Progress to help mobilise the stakeholders through social partnership to achieve a targeted and measurable reduction in alcohol misuse. Its remit was to examine the areas of high risk drinking, under-age drinking and drink driving and to identify actions which member organisations could adopt to address these issues with a view to developing a programme of action. The group's report was submitted to the Tánaiste last week and future action is now being considered by the Department of Health and Children. The issues of labelling and the groceries order were discussed by the working group and its report makes a number of recommendations with regard to these. I have no plans to establish an office of alcohol control at this stage. However, the Department will keep the matter under review.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 163: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to studies (details supplied), which report that more than 80% of pregnant women here drink alcohol; the implications this statistic has for the incidence of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders, given that foetal alcohol spectrum disorders occur in 1% of all live births in the US, which has an alcohol consumption rate among pregnant women of only 22%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11696/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 164: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether it is long past time that the Department of Health and Children dealt with the issue of alcohol and pregnancy and the resulting foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; and if she will establish a dedicated working group to address the issue. [11697/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 165: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the rate over the past ten years of foetal alcohol syndrome with confirmed maternal alcohol consumption; with unconfirmed maternal alcohol consumption; with partial foetal alcohol syndrome; alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders and alcohol-related birth defects. [11698/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 166: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of avoidable damage to children as a result of pre-natal exposure to alcohol, which would represent an acceptable figure for the Department of Health and Children. [11699/06]

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 to 166, inclusive, together.

The Department of Health and Children has funded a research project which involves a review of maternal records held by the Coombe Women's Hospital for the period 1996 to 2004. The aims of the project are to describe the prevalence and patterns of alcohol and nicotine use in a sample of pregnant women in Ireland between 1986 and 2004; to examine the association between a set of pregnancy outcome indicators — birth weight — Apgar score — and the consumption patterns; and to examine how alcohol consumption in Ireland, in a sample of pregnant women, relates to use in a similar population in other countries. The results are expected to be available later this year and will inform any future action required.

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