The steering group report on a national substance misuse strategy1 was launched by Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer and chairman of the group, in the Department of Health on 7 February 2012. In 2009 the government decided to include alcohol in a national substance misuse strategy. Arising from this decision a steering group, chaired by the Department of Health, was established to advise government on a new strategy. The steering group was drawn from relevant government departments and agencies, medical professional bodies, the community and voluntary sectors and the alcohol industry. 

•  increase the price of alcohol so that it becomes less affordable;
•  introduce a legislative basis for minimum pricing, along with a ‘social responsibility’ levy on the drinks industry;
• commence Section 9 (structural separation of alcohol from other products in supermarkets and other mixed trading outlets) of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008;
•  introduce legislation and statutory codes to provide for:

• • a 9.00 p.m. watershed for alcohol advertising on television and radio;
  • limiting alcohol advertising in cinemas to only being associated with films classified as suitable for over-18s;
  • prohibiting all outdoor advertising of alcohol;
  • subjecting all alcohol advertising in the print media to stringent codes, enshrined in legislation and independently monitored;
     
• phase out drinks industry sponsorship of sport and other large public events by 2016;
• develop a system to monitor the enforcement of the provisions of the intoxicating liquor legislation;
• establish a Clinical Directorate to develop the clinical and organisational governance framework to underpin treatment and rehabilitation services; and
• develop early intervention guidelines for alcohol and substance use across all relevant sectors of the health and social care system. This will include a national screening and brief intervention protocol for early identification of problem alcohol use.