asked the Minister for Health if he has taken, or intends to take, any steps to control advertising of intoxicating drink.

The Deputy will be aware of RTE's recent decision to phase out alcoholic drink advertising on radio and television and, in the phasing out period, to introduce more limiting guidelines for alcoholic drink advertisements. I welcome this decision. I have invited representatives of the distilling and brewing interests to meet with me in the near future to discuss what reduction might be effected in the promotion of the consumption of alcohol generally.

Is it the Minister's intention to endeavour to secure voluntary agreement, or is it his intention to introduce legislation on the lines of the Bill introduced yesterday?

In the first instance voluntary agreement.

Would the Minister agree that the decision by RTE, while welcome, does not get at the root cause of the problem? Since the television service was inaugurated here there has been no advertising of spirits on television but only advertising of beers, and sales appear to have been static or decreasing?

There has been almost saturation advertising of spirits outside RTE.

The sale of spirits has been increasing while the sale of beer has been decreasing.

That is not correct. What is happening is that the sale of beer is decreasing at a more rapid rate.

That is so, but will the Minister not agree that though curtailing advertising may be of help, there is a more fundemental problem to be tackled?

The problem can be tackled in a number of ways.

Education.

Certainly, and example, and prices.

Prohibition.

The present almost saturation level of prices is a very important factor.

I question that.

These commercial firms would not be spending all this money unless there was need.

Is the Minister aware of the new stringent code in Britain?

I am very much aware of it. I am also aware that their tobacco code is quite liberal by comparison with ours.

What does the Minister think of the suggestion that we would close the Members' and the public bars in Leinster House to set a good example?

That is entirely a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

Would the Minister intervene at budget time to ensure that the most effective means at his disposal would be brought to bear, that is not to allow advertisement costs for tax purposes? Let these firms pay these costs out of profits which should be controlled as against prices.

The Deputy knows I propose to have discussions with the commercial interests as a first step.

14.

asked the Minister for Health the total moneys spent by his Department on advertising directed to curb (a) the abuse or use of alcohol; and (b) cigarette smoking, in the years 1950, 1960 and 1970 to the most recent year for which figures are available.

The information sought by the Deputy is not available in respect of the years 1950 and 1960. The figures for the financial years 1969-70 to date are contained in the following table, which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the table:

* From 1975, expenditure through Health Education Bureau.

Would the Minister please give the figures in relation to the advertising firms?

I will probably be able to give them to the Deputy when we are closing the debate on the Bill. I may say they were given to me in confidence but I may be able to manage a way around that.

15.

asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of his discussions and negotiations with the RTE Authority in relation to the phasing out of alcoholic drink advertisements.

The Secretary of my Department wrote to the Director General of RTE in June of this year conveying my concern about the problems created by alcoholic drink advertisements on radio and television. Subsequently, meeting were held between senior officers of my Department and executives of RTE.

As the Deputy will be aware, RTE announced on 15 September their intention to phase out all alcoholic drink advertisements and, during such phasing out, to have stricter guidelines for these advertisements.

Can the Minister give any estimate of the amount by which TV licence fees will be increased?

That is a separate question. It does not arise now.

I have no indication that the RTE licence fee will be increased. It is a rather peculiar question from the Deputy in view of the ostensible interest he displays here from time to time in health matters.

That remark could apply to a number of people in the House.