40. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his plans to publish the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2355/15]

Minister for Health (Deputy Leo Varadkar): As the Deputy is aware; the Government has approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse to be incorporated in a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. These measures are based on the recommendations contained in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012. The package of measures to be implemented will include provision for minimum unit pricing, regulation of the marketing and advertising of alcohol, regulation of sports sponsorship, structural separation of alcohol from other products in mixed trading outlets and labelling of alcohol products. Work on developing a framework for the necessary Department of Health legislation is continuing and I hope to publish a General Scheme of a Bill early this year.