Breathnach not in favour of minimum pricing for alcohol

FIANNA Fáil TD for Louth and East Meath Declan Breathnach has stated that he is not in favour of introducing minimum unit pricing of alcohol until Northern Ireland can introduce it at the same time.

‘We are already seeing unprecedented numbers of shoppers choosing to cross the border to Northern Ireland. According to the latest Kantar Report shoppers going North spent €64.5 million on groceries in the 12 months up to November 4, 2018. Of that figure a quarter went on alcohol with just over €16 million being spent. Coming from Dundalk myself I can see how attractive it is for shoppers, especially those living in the border region, to cross the border for cheaper alcohol. If minimum unit pricing is introduced in the Republic of Ireland the price differential would become even greater. We cannot allow this to happen.

‘We must wait until the Assembly in the North returns when they can implement the same measure. In the meantime, I agree with others that we should immediately implement a ban on below cost pricing, where larger chain stores can bear the losses incurred in below cost selling of alcohol to the detriment of smaller retailers. Banning below cost sale of alcohol would also go some way towards tackling alcohol misuse. It is ridiculous that in 0some instances in the run up to Christmas, below cost sale of alcohol by some retailers meant that a bottle of beer was retailing at a lower cost that a bottle of water. This should not be allowed. However, introducing minimum unit pricing is not the answer.