With regard to the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015, all of us recognise the need for more consultation with retailers on the matter of how segregation of alcohol in small retail stores can be achieved. Recently, there was a ruling in the UK Supreme Court that Scotland can set a minimum price for alcohol, and this paves the way for similar minimum price controls in Northern Ireland. Similar price controls will help curb the leakage of revenue through smuggling but will the Minister and the House consider the progression of a Bill stuck in the Bills lottery, the Sale of Illicit Goods Bill 2017, as this would help retailers, especially in the Border region? Surely allowing passage of this Bill to the next stage would help many businesses along the Border corridor and protect much needed State revenue.

I will certainly consider the point being made by the Deputy and I thank him for his support of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. We had consultation in my Department between retailer representative bodies and officials last Friday and they will revert to me in the coming days with proposals to ensure we can achieve what we want, which is a really important piece of public health legislation, without placing an unfair burden on small shops, which is the concern of a number of people. The Deputy is correct that minimum unit pricing saw a very significant landmark ruling and we now intend to introduce minimum unit pricing in this country, as it is a key part of the public health alcohol legislation. I hope to be back in the Seanad to pass that Bill before Christmas with the co-operation of Senators in all parties.

I take the Deputy's point about cross-Border matters. A previous Government made a commitment that it would introduce minimum unit pricing, conscious of the fact it is not currently in place in Northern Ireland. I will keep in touch with the Deputy on that.