Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the proposals that are under consideration to address the problem of below cost selling of alcohol; if he will provide an update on progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16563/13]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date in addressing the problem of the below cost selling of alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16562/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1114 and 1197 together.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that real and tangible proposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy report. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including legislation on minimum unit pricing which is about setting a statutory floor price per gram of alcohol.

The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy has considered these proposals and I intend to bring forward specific proposals for consideration by Government as soon as possible.

In the meantime, work on developing a framework for the necessary Department of Health legislation is continuing. For example, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, a health impact assessment is being commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. (Scotland commissioned the same sort of assessment before it drafted its legislation on minimum unit pricing.) The health impact assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact.