Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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383. To ask the Minister for Health the timescale he is working to for the taking of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 in view of the fact that it has been published since December 2015 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31113/16]

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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470. To ask the Minister for Health when it is intended that the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 will be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30565/16]

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 470 together.

The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill remains a Government priority and a date of 26 October has been set for Committee Stage of the Bill in the Seanad.

The aim of the Bill is to reduce consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. This is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Reporton a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The Bill is one of a number of measures being taken under the Healthy IrelandFramework.

The Bill includes the following main provisions:

- minimum unit pricing;

- health labelling of alcohol products;

- the regulation of advertising and sponsorship of alcohol products;

- the regulation of sponsorship;

- structural separation of alcohol products in mixed trading outlets; and

- the regulation of the sale and supply of alcohol in certain circumstances.