Ministers clash over proposals to tackle abuse of alcohol

Fine Gael and Labour Ministers are at odds over proposals to counter alcohol abuse which are due to come before Cabinet tomorrow.

A number of Fine Gael Ministers, including Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, have expressed reservations about aspects of a plan on alcohol drawn up by Labour Minister of State at the Department of Health Róisín Shortall.

Consequently, Labour sources fear the proposals in Ms Shortall’s memorandum to Government may be put on the back-burner by Cabinet and deferred until autumn for consideration.

“There’s a lot of push back on this. We’re afraid they may kick to touch, just when leadership is needed on alcohol misuse,” said a Labour source last night.

Some Fine Gael Ministers, including Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald, are supportive of the proposals, as are Labour Ministers. However, some Fine Gael Ministers have argued that measures should be targeted at those who abuse alcohol rather than applying across the population. The document argues that people’s level of alcohol consumption generally is unhealthy.

They also have continuing reservations about plans to restrict drinks advertising and to curb, and eventually phase out, sponsorship by alcohol companies.

Earlier proposals to restrict arts and sports sponsorships by the drinks industry met with opposition from six Ministers but these have been since been watered down. Sponsorship was supposed to end in 2016 but Ms Shortall has agreed to extend the deadline by a number of years.

Her memorandum also seeks approval in principle for a minimum unit price on alcohol and a “responsibility levy” on drinks firms which would be used to fund campaigns highlighting the dangers of alcohol. The actual minimum price is not specified but would be set following further studies and consultation with the authorities in Northern Ireland and Britain, where similar measures are contemplated.

The levy, also to be determined, would be based on a percentage of the amount spent by drinks companies on advertising and marketing.

Other elements include an expansion of treatment facilities for alcoholics and stricter rules on labelling, to cover the level of alcohol in a product, calorie content and provision of “danger messages”.

Read more...

Source: Paul Cullen, Irish Times, 16/07/12