It is now two years since the enactment of the Public Health Alcohol Act. And while some aspects of the Act have been implemented, much remains to be done. Many important measures, crucial to the objective of reducing alcohol use in Ireland, such as Notice of Licence grant or renewal, Minimum unit pricing, Content of advertising, Labelling of alcohol products and a Broadcast watershed, have yet to be commenced by the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD.
The Programme for Government ‘Our Shared Future’ recognises that the Act has only been partly begun and that ‘longstanding’ commitments needed to be honoured. The objective of this hard fought for legislative framework is to reduce alcohol use and harm, and aims to bring Ireland’s alcohol consumption down from 11 litres per capita to 9.1 litres. What is required now is a firm timeline that commits to the implementation, in full, of the suite of measures whose effectiveness relies on a coherent and cohesive action.
We appreciate the challenge of managing the enormity of a public health crisis such that is COVID-19, which has derailed much of government’s ambition. However, every day that delays these measures being introduced can be counted in lives unnecessarily lost. In two years since enactment, the Global Burden of Diseases Study estimates over 5,500 people have died from alcohol related illnesses and incident in Ireland. The annual public cost of this social and economic impact remains enormous at €3.6 billion, especially at a time when the exchequer struggles for resources.
We, as members of the Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland, are united in our commitment to efficacy of these measures. Implemented they will undoubtedly achieve better public health outcomes and so we implore An Taoiseach, his government and the Minister for Health to proceed, without further delay.
Yours
Prof. Frank Murray
Chair
SIOBHAN CREATON
Head of Public Affairs and Advocacy,
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
DR SHEILA GILHEANY
CEO
Alcohol Action Ireland
PADRAIG MCGARRY
President,
Irish Medical Organisation
CONOR KING
Acting CEO
Irish Cancer Society
SUZANNE CONNOLLY
CEO,
Barnardos
TIM COLLINS
CEO
Irish Heart Foundation
TANYA WARD
Chief Executive,
Children’s Rights Alliance
JOHN CHURCH
CEO,
Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC)
ETAIN KETT
Public Affairs & Communications Manager,
Dental Health Foundation
MARY CUNNINGHAM
CEO,
National Youth Council of Ireland
FIONA COYLE
CEO
Mental Health Reform
DR WILLIAM FLANNERY
President,
College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
MARTIN ROGAN
CEO,
Mental Health Ireland
DR CLÍONA SAIDLÉAR
Executive Director,
Rape Crisis Network Ireland
IAN POWER
CEO
SpunOut
DR CLAIRE HAYES
Clinical Director,
Aware
DONNA PRICE
Chair,
Irish Road Victims’ Association
PROF MARK DELARGY
Clinical Director,
National Rehabilitation Hospital
LIZ YEATES
CEO,
Marie Keating Foundation
DR HUGH GALLAGHER
GP Coordinator, HSE Addiction Service
CAROL MOORE
Lifewise
COLIN FOWLER
Director of Operations,
Men’s Health Forum in Ireland
KIERAN DOHERTY
CEO
Alcohol Forum
DR ORLA CROSBIE
Consultant Hepatologist, Cork University Hospital
JENNIFER MCCARTHY FLYNN
Head of Policy,
National Women’s Council of Ireland
DR AOIFE O’SULLIVAN
President,
Irish Student Health Association
ROLANDE ANDERSON
Addiction Counsellor
PROF JOE BARRY
Adjunct Professor of Public Health Medicine, TCD
PROF JOHN RYAN
Consultant Hepatologist, Beaumont Hospital
JOHN & ANNE HIGGINS
CATHERINE KEANE
JILLIAN VAN TURNHOUT
PROF. GEOFFREY SHANNON
Patron,
Alcohol Action Ireland
