Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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369. To ask the Minister for Health the details of the contact between his Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in respect of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015, specifically on provisions and amendments previously tabled relating to restrictions on advertising on the Internet and for related definitions and offences; the way in which the two Departments plan to deal with this gap in the Bill with regard to Internet advertising; if he will report on developments in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49152/17]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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There has been ongoing engagement between my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in relation to internet advertising.

In April 2014, my Department made a submission to the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group whose Report was published in 2014. My Department is also represented on the Interdepartmental Implementation Group of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group.

In relation to the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015, my Department consulted with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment on the matter of internet advertising, the proposed amendments to the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and the related offences. Having fully considered the matter, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment indicated that such amendments would present difficulties in terms of enforcement. My Department concurred with this view.