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.

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