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Bill to segregate alcohol in shops could be Varadkar’s first target

Legislation to segregate alcohol from other products in supermarkets and small shops may be reintroduced in the Seanad in early July.

The political brainchild of then minister for health Leo Varadkar when it was introduced in the Seanad, the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill passed second stage under his stewardship in December 2015, before the general election.

Reintroduced under the current Government it was withdrawn in October last year after a filibuster, mainly by Fine Gael Senators during committee stage, as they went to war on behalf of the business community in a row over blocking alcohol from sight in a manner similar to cigarettes.