The Government has been accused of political cowardice for caving in to the drinks industry and not setting a date for the banning of alcohol sponsorship at sporting events.
Fergus McCabe, who was a member of the steering group which advised the Government to implement a ban, said it “sends out a terrible signal that the Government is not serious about tackling alcohol abuse in Ireland”.
Mr McCabe, who works with the Citywise community group, said the ban was part of a balanced package of measures that should have been implemented in full and he was “very disappointed” that vested interests had won out. He described the climbdown as “political cowardice which does a huge disservice to the people of Ireland”.
The Cabinet yesterday signed off on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill after it was presented by junior health minister Alex White. No date for the ending of sponsorship, worth €30m, has been set and none will be implemented until alternative funding is both “identified and secured”.
The bill will implement measures including:
- A health warning on all alcohol products which will include grams of pure alcohol and a calorie count;
- Part of the Intoxicating Liquor Act (2008) will be enforced to allow environmental health officers force supermarkets, petrol stations, and other outlets to separate alcohol products from other “normal goods”;
- A ban on outdoor advertising;
- Minimum pricing will be introduced after a cross- border study, currently under way, reports back in March 2014.
A government spokes-person said it was conscious that the Scottish government’s efforts to introduce minimum pricing have been legally challenged in Europe by the Scotch Whiskey Association. Any decision on minimum pricing in Ireland may depend on the outcome of the case.
Former junior health minister Róisín Shortall, who initiated the tackling of alcohol misuse, said while she welcomed some of the positive measures contained, she was “concerned about the issues that have been kicked to touch”.
Source: Michael O’Kane, Irish Examiner, 23/10/13
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