Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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2042. To ask the Minister for Health when the review of minimum unit pricing, as required under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, will be conducted; if the Department has a proposed timeline for its completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18914/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Minimum unit pricing (MUP) came into operation in January 2022. The Public Health (Alcohol) Act provides that the Minister may, by order, increase the minimum price per gram of alcohol no earlier than 3 years after commencement. The Act specifies that the Minister must take into account any expert research available on the effectiveness of the measure as well as have regard to criteria set out at section 11(5) of the Act.

In November 2024, the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group (AATEG) was established to evaluate the provisions of the Public Heath (Alcohol) Act 2018, including MUP, and is required to submit an interim report on its progress to me by the end of the year.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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2043. To ask the Minister for Health when updated regulations under Section 23 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, intended to prohibit the use of loyalty points and promotional pricing schemes on alcohol products, will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18915/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In January 2021, the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 (Sale and Supply of Alcohol Products) Regulations 2020 made under Section 23 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act came into operation. Those Regulations prohibit certain alcohol price promotions including the award or use of loyalty card points in relation to the purchase of alcohol products.

I am currently developing further regulations on alcohol promotions to address additional price promotions in relation to loyalty cards. When finalised, the draft law will require submission for EU assessment under the Technical Standards Directive (Directive (EU) 2015/1535).