Ireland to set minimum alcohol price to curb "dangerous" misuse

By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) will set a minimum price for alcohol and restrict its marketing to reduce a level of drinking the health minister called a public health emergency.

The Irish drink an annual 11.6 litres of alcohol per capita, 20 percent lower than at the turn of the last decade but still among the highest in the OECD. The new laws aim to reduce consumption to the OECD average of 9.1 litres by 2020.

"It's not an attempt to introduce a nanny state, we're not trying to close down every pub, it's just a response to the fact that the majority of Irish adults drink too much and many drink very dangerously," Health Minister Leo Varadkar told Ireland's Newstalk radio.

"We've some long-standing public health emergencies in Ireland: they're alcohol, tobacco, obesity and inactivity. We will never be able to afford or sustain a quality health service into the future unless we bend the curve on all of those things."

The legislation will compel all alcohol producers to put health warnings and calorie counts on wine, beer and spirits. Marketing that appeals to children will be banned and advertising on television, in newspapers and in cinemas will be restricted. The companies will still be allowed to sponsor sport events, though.

Ireland's Royal College of Physicians said the bill was "a huge step forward" in reducing the extent of illness, death and social disorder. The Alcohol Federation of Ireland said a cultural change was required to address alcohol misuse.

By setting a floor price, Varadkar wants to eliminate cheap alcohol on sale in supermarkets, which he said drives binge drinking. The British government in 2013 dropped plans for minimum pricing following intense industry lobbying.

Varadkar said he would have liked to go further on sport sponsorship but sporting organisations objected. Diageo (LSE: DGE.L - news) 's Dublin-brewed Guinness is a major sponsor of Gaelic games and rugby in Ireland and C&C's Bulmers cider sponsors horse racing and cultural events.

"It's not something we've given up on," Varadkar said.

(Editing by Larry King)