Labour MEP Nessa Childers today urged the government to stand up to the alcohol industry lobby.
"I strongly welcome the proposals from Minister Roisin Shortall, which are based well-known serious public health concerns.
"Yet again there is a massive amount of industry lobbying against a progressive public health policy. I urge the government to stand up to such for-profit lobbying, and make the health of the Irish people the first priority. We must not let the high-paid lobbyists win this battle.
"The European alcohol lobby have been successful in watering down all food labelling regulation at EU level, where many like myself, campaigned for stricter controls on alcohol and calorie labelling.
"We do need a minimum price for alcohol to tackle the scourge of binge drinking. And nobody is saying sporting organisations must forgo alcohol advertising revenue anytime soon, the proposals allow for a long run in time over a number of years. That is more than enough time for sporting organisations to access alternative advertising partners.
"We know that alcohol costs the economy €3.7 billion a year in health costs, it causes increased crime, that 2,000 hospital beds are occupied on a daily basis by people with alcohol-related conditions and alcohol is a factor in about half of all suicides.
"Now is the time for action."
Source: Labour.ie, 16/07/12
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