Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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220. To ask the Minister for Health if an analysis has been undertaken of the revenue that could be raised for the Exchequer if minimum alcohol pricing was introduced in off-licences, with drinks companies then levied the for the increased price portion. [30926/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Proposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy 2012. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including measures on access and availability of alcohol; controls on alcohol advertising and sponsorship; labelling of alcohol products, and legislation on minimum unit pricing.

Minimum unit pricing is a mechanism of imposing a statutory floor in price levels per gram of alcohol that must be legally observed by retailers in both the on and off trade sector. A health impact assessment, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, is being commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact. It is only upon completion of this work that the precise quantification of impact from an economic and social point of view if Ireland can be understood.

The provision of such a price measure for alcohol - as opposed to fiscal measures - is aimed chiefly at preventing the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. A minimum pricing regime is a proportional policy exigency that allows the State to engage another parameter to deal with managing the supply of alcohol for the purpose of preventing its misuse. It is a policy aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner.