Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland today expressed its disappointment and frustration at the lack of progress of the Public Health Alcohol Bill, which they believe has been hindered by the lobbyists of the alcohol industry.  The Alliance calls for the urgent enactment of the Bill.

The Alliance, which represents 52 of Ireland’s leading voices in medicine and health advocacy urged the immediate enactment of the Bill, that has now languished before the House of the Oireachtas for over 650 days.

Speaking as Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, Prof. Frank Murray said:

“There is an unsustainable crisis in Ireland as a result of how much alcohol we consume and the way in which we drink. There is widespread concern about this and a huge public desire to take effective action to reduce alcohol harm. For too long, the alcohol industry has had too much influence on policy. The alcohol industry should have no role in national alcohol policy, which must be protected from distortion by commercial or vested interests, as stated by the director of the World Health Organization.

Commenting on the role of government in advancing the Bill, Prof. Murray said:

“An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health, Simon Harris have taken a courageous stand as individual advocates for the measures within the Bill, and the need to progress its enactment; without their commitment, this historic piece of public health legislation would have slipped off the agenda. I believe other political leaders in Ireland also support the effective action in the Bill”

Reflecting on the role of the wider political community and its susceptibility to industry lobbying, Prof. Murray emphasized that delays in enacting the Bill have had lethal consequences’

“Over the duration of this delay to enactment, a further 2,000 lives have been lost to alcohol related illnesses, over 100,000 children have commenced drinking alcohol. Alcohol continues to be a factor in approximately half of all suicides in Ireland.

‘Alcohol consumption is again increasing and there is no chance that Ireland will reach the target of 9.1 liters per capita per year by 2020, a stated Government target. The cost to our health services continues to spiral beyond €1.5 billion annually. Meanwhile, Doctors and Nurses and other healthcare workers in our Emergency Departments, and throughout the health services, grapple with the devastation caused to people’s lives through alcohol.”