John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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908. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to engage with the Responsible Retailing of Alcohol in Ireland group (RRAI) in respect of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10493/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government approved the publication of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and the introduction of the Bill in the Houses of the Oireachtas on the 8th December 2015. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Seanad on the 17th December 2015. The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group included representatives from the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland and MEAS Ltd. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill was also subject to pre-legislative scrutiny from the Joint Committee on Health and Children. The Committee heard submissions from the Responsible Retailers of Alcohol in Ireland (RRAI). The Committee's recommendations were considered when drafting the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The Department met with the RRAI last October along with the then Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar.

The Department will continue to engage with industry in relation to the implementation of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill where appropriate.