602. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the proposed General Scheme of Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022; whether the Government intends to progress the legislation during the current Dáil Éireann term; the engagement that has taken place with stakeholders regarding the Bill; when it is expected that the legislation will be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51720/26]

Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: The Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 did not progress in the lifetime of the last Government. There was significant stakeholder engagement over the course of the development of the Bill. In November 2021, a wide-ranging public consultation was launched by my Department, seeking the views of the public on the modernisation of Ireland’s licensing laws. Submissions can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/collections/submissions-from-public-consultation-on-the-review-of-the-sale-of-alcohol/.

The Department also published a Summary Report of the Responses to the Public Questionnaire on the Reform of Alcohol Licensing, which can be found here: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/sale-of-alcohol-bill-consultation-report.pdf

In January 2023, the Bill underwent pre-legislative scrutiny, the report of which was published in March 2023. This report can be found here:  https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/33/joint_committee_on_justice/reports/2023/2023-03-02_report-on-pre-legislative-scrutiny-of-the-general-scheme-of-the-sale-of-alcohol-bill-2022_en.pdf

The Programme for Government commits to updating our licensing laws. The Summer Legislative Programme, published on 14 April, set out the 38 Bills that have been prioritised for publication, and 26 Bills for drafting, in the current Dáil session. Other legislative projects, including work on intoxicating liquor legislation, will be taken forward in subsequent iterations of the legislative programme, to be determined by Government in due course.