Health warnings about alcohol, its ingredients, calories and links to cancer will be prominently displayed on all bottles and cans after the Minister for Health accepted amendments to drinks legislation.
Detailed labels will now take up one third of the space of an alcohol product after Simon Harris accepted amendments on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill from Independent Senator Frances Black and Labour Senator Ged Nash.
The controversial legislation, which targets Ireland’s alcohol crisis provides for labelling but initially provided for the Minister to introduce regulations.
Ms Black, a campaigner on addiction, said regulation would leave details like font size and visibility up the Minister.
She told Mr Harris: “I know you’re very strong on this but there might be another minister who might not be as strong.”
Ms Black said 900 new cancer cases and deaths every year were linked to alcohol and Sinn Féin Senator Maire Devine said research showed higher cancer death rates in Ireland than in the rest of the EU.
Source: Marie O'Halloran, The Irish Times, 15/12/17
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