The Government is opposing a Social Democrats bill which aims to close a "legal loophole" which it says allows the drinks industry to circumvent restrictions on alcohol advertising by promoting zero alcohol products.
Social Democrats health spokesperson Padraig Rice told the Dáil that the drinks industry is ignoring the law by advertising zero alcohol products using their normal branding, logos and colours.
"It's really clear to the dogs in the street that the alcohol industry is exploiting the law and that there's a clear loophole in the law," he said.
"They are using the same branding, the same colors, it is almost identical advertising to their full strength products."
He said alcohol companies were spending a disproportionate amount of their advertising budgets on zero alcohol products.
"The evidence shows us that 00 alcohol products make up 1% of the total alcohol market, yet they're spending 25% of their outdoor alcohol budget on 00 products. Why is that, minister? Because they know this will sell more of the main alcohol product.
"They are pumping money into 00 advertising to circumvent your law, to get around it, to advertise in areas where there are children, and they are openly saying this."
Minister of State for Public Health Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said the Government was opposing the bill for two reasons - insufficient evidence and the risk of unintended consequences.
"If there is a widespread substitution of zero or low alcohol products for alcohol products, this will be of benefit at a population health level and will reduce harm," she said.
"The advertising of these products in promoting their consumption potentially supports or increases this potential benefit."
However, she acknowledged the potential risk that advertising for zero alcohol products could indirectly promote alcoholic drinks.
She said Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill has commissioned reviews on two aspects of zero alcohol products on the marketing and branding exposure as well as a review of advertising presence, regulatory context, and the consumer perception.
These will inform future policy making.
