Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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189. To ask the Minister for Health his views on laws governing the below cost selling of alcohol; his further views on whether the law as stated is robust enough; and his plans to bring forward further legislation in this area. [28170/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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One of the main provisions of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is the introduction of minimum unit pricing. This provision will prohibit the advertising or sale of alcohol products below a set minimum price. This is a targeted measure designed to prevent the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices and aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner.

My Department has evidence based findings from commissioned research  which show that minimum unit pricing is a more targeted and therefore effective measure than increasing excise duty or introducing a ban on below cost selling. The research indicates that neither of these options address the health harms associated with the consumption of strong cheap alcohol products.

A ban on below cost selling based on the invoice cost price of the alcohol product to the retailer would not target strong, cheap alcohol unlike minimum unit pricing which will target the very cheapest alcohol relative to its strength because the price is determined by, and directly proportionate to, the amount of alcohol in the drink.