Health minister announces minimum prices for wine and beer

We’re fond of a glass or two of wine after a hard day but today the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill was announced and it has been described as “life-saving legislation.” Health minister Leo Varadker revealed a number of new laws regarding alcohol pricing and advertising. The Bill establishes the minimum price of a 500ml can of beer at €1.95 and the minimum for a bottle of wine at €8.63, in order to curb the availability of cheap alcohol products. Basically, the new laws establish a minimum unit pricing under which alcohol cannot legally be sold. The legislation also introduces new laws around advertising with a blanket ban on advertising alcohol products near schools, playgrounds or public transport as well as a broadcasting watershed of 9pm.