Alcohol and low-wage legislation
Deputy Ó Fearghaíl asks about the public health (alcohol) Bill and the low wage commission Bill, including minimum pricing and related measures. The Taoiseach says the alcohol Bill’s heads have Cabinet approval and expects publication early next year.
Could I ask when we can expect the public health (alcohol) Bill to come to the House? Have the heads of the Bill been considered by Government? We were given to understand that substantial work had been done in the area which involved examining minimum pricing, sports sponsorship and labelling of alcoholic products. We believe substantial work was done when Deputy Róisín Shortall was a Minister of State in the Department of Health. She is now long gone. Could the Taoiseach indicate what is happening to the Bill?
No. 101 on the C list is the low wage commission Bill. Much has been made of the low pay commission. Have the heads of the Bill been agreed by Cabinet as of yet and when is the Bill expected to come before the House?
Comment on this
Approval was given to draft the heads of the Bill and money was included in the accounts for next year for that purpose. In respect of the public health (alcohol) Bill, the heads were cleared by Cabinet and a good deal of work is going on in the Department of Health in that regard. I expect it will be early next year before the Bill is published.