Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue that would be raised if the sugar sweetened drinks tax was extended to include milk based products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26689/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The tax on sugar-sweetened drinks commenced on 1 May 2018 and applies to water and juice based drinks with a sugar content of 5 grams per 100 millilitres or above.

The rationale behind imposing a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks is to help tackle obesity by reducing the consumption of liable water and juice based drinks. Milk products are outside the scope of the tax on the basis that they provide satiation, which prevents excessive consumption, as well as nutritional benefits such as calcium and protein. This is the established policy position based on scientific evidence and this position was endorsed by the European Commission in its positive State aid decision in relation to the tax.

It is not possible to easily estimate the additional revenue which would be generated by extending the sugar sweetened drinks tax to milk based products.