Ireland: Government Plans Alcohol Minimum Unit Price
The Irish government is set to press ahead with its minimum alcohol pricing plans, despite previously indicating that the measure would be introduced at the same time as Northern Ireland.
However, due to the political stalemate in Belfast, it is now expected the Irish government will press ahead with its plans to implement all the provisions of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. A spokesperson for Health Minister Simon Harris has said the government intends to implement the measure as soon as possible.
He intends to implement it as soon as possible to address the health harms and financial costs associated with harmful alcohol consumption,” the spokesman told the Sunday Times.
The measure will result in a minimum price of 10 cents per gram of alcohol.