1157. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the full membership of the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8520/26]

1158. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the full terms of reference of the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8521/26]

1159. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of times that the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group has met; when these meetings took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8522/26]

1160. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the timeline for when the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group will report to her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8523/26]

1161. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health when she proposes to meet with the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8524/26]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for Health: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1157, 1158, 1159, 1160 and 1161 together.

The Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group was established in November 2024 to assess the effectiveness of the provisions of the Public Heath (Alcohol) Act 2018 in relation to its policy objectives. The Terms of Reference of the Group require it to assess available information, data, findings of existing studies and other analysis in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures in the Act as well as identify further research or other actions, if any, that may be necessary in order to fulfil its function. The Group is led by Dr Helen McAvoy, Director of Policy at the All Island Institute of Public Health and is composed of technical specialists in the area of public health, research and evaluation. The Group will submit an interim report on its progress to me by the end of this quarter.