Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has reaffirmed his commitment to placing minimum pricing on alcohol units by stating the Bill will published before the Dáil breaks for the summer.
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will be introduced in the Oireactas in the autumn.
According to the Minister, it will be “most far-reaching proposed by any Irish government,” in a bid to reduce alcohol consumption in Ireland.
According to the OECD, Ireland currently ranks fifth out of the 28 EU members for alcohol consumption, and second across Europe for binge drinking.
On average, an Irish person consumes 11 litres of pure alcohol per annum, which the Government wants to reduce to the OECD-average of 9.1 litres by 2020.
Minister Varadkar has emphasised the importance the Bill will have towards improving public health, saying that many Irish adults drinking too much and too often.
The World Health Organisation said there is “indisputable evidence" that the price of alcohol affects public health. The new legislate will mean that a can of beer in an off-licence will cost no less than €2.20.
According to research that was presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, minimum pricing will prevent 200 alcohol-related deaths a year.
