Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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1701. To ask the Minister for Health if she will consider measures to ensure that any future review of minimum unit pricing includes consultation with addiction service providers and public health experts, with a view to determining the way in which the policy will better support frontline addiction and prevention services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58088/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Minimum unit pricing is a public health measure. It prohibits the sale of an alcohol product below the “floor price” of 10c per gram of alcohol in order to reduce the availability of cheap strong alcohol for all of our population and, in particular, to keep strong alcohol out of the price range of our children.

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 and specifies that the Minister must take into account any expert research available on the effectiveness of the measure as well as have regard to the following criteria:

(a) the rate of alcohol consumption,

(b) patterns of alcohol consumption,

(c) health-related risks caused by alcohol consumption,

(d) data from health services relating to alcohol related presentations at health facilities,

(e) other societal harm caused by alcohol consumption,

(f) the price and affordability of alcohol products, and

(g) such other matters he or she considers appropriate.

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 early 2026.