Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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779. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the February 2014 World Health Organisation report which called for the expansion of tobacco-type restrictions to alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages; if he is considering introducing plain packaging or similar measures for alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages and fatty foods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32982/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to the World Cancer Report 2014, issued by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The report notes the need for multipronged preventive action including treaties and laws extending tobacco-style restrictions to alcohol and sweetened beverages in order to address the alarming rise in the cancer burden.

Ireland is supportive of the World Health Organisation Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. Many of the recommendations in the WHO Global Strategy, including in particular those on pricing, marketing and monitoring and surveillance are included in our national alcohol policy. Last October, the Government approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse to be incorporated in a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. These measures are based on the recommendations contained in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012.The package of measures to be implemented will include provision for minimum unit pricing, regulation of the marketing and advertising of alcohol, regulation of sports sponsorship, structural separation of alcohol from other products in mixed trading outlets and labelling of alcohol products.

The Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) comprising representatives from relevant Government Departments, the HSE, the Food Safety Authority, members of academia, service professionals and Safe Food was established to examine and progress a number of issues to address the problem of overweight and obesity in Ireland. The Group is considering a range of measures in support of healthy eating and to reduce overweight and obesity.

There are no plans to extend standardised packaging to alcohol products, sugar sweetened beverages or fatty foods.