Varadkar is determined to press ahead with his plans to introduce minimum pricing of alcohol. This comes after an adverse reaction to a similar plan in Scotland from the European Court of Justice. The court commented that the minimum pricing could break EU rules on free trade.
Setting a minimum price on alcohol would only be legal if the government could prove that the likes of increasing taxes would create the same health benefits. The court is to make a final ruling later in the year and could put an end to any government plans to introduce a minimum price on alcohol.
“I will be asking my officials to study this opinion and its implications as we wait for the final judgment of the court which is expected towards the end of the year,” Mr Varadkar said.
In June, an Oireachtas joint committee suggested that the minimum price of a 500ml can of beer should be increased to €2, a bottle of wine to over €8, and a bottle of spirits to over €24. Other committee recommendations included health warnings on alcoholic products, a 9pm watershed on alcohol advertisements on TV and an end to multi-buy promotions.