Off-trade

NOffLA seeks role in Structural Separation

Having signed a Commencement Order on the recently-passed Public Health (Alcohol) Bill for all provisions (excluding the MUP and Labelling aspects) the Minister for Health has effectively set the clock ticking for certain sections of the Bill including the introduction of advertising restrictions (due in on 5th November 2019), structural separation (due in on 5th November 2020) and sports advertising (due in on 5th November 2021).

Despite the passing of the Bill the National Off-Licence Association has continued with its politician engagements with a view to influencing the eventual timings of the MUP and the enforcement of the Structural Separation provisions.

In a recent newsletter to its members the Association stated that it understands that the Minister intends commencing MUP “in the coming weeks and we are arguing that this must be supported by a ban on  below-invoice cost selling.”

The Association has already suggested to the Minister that as the representative organisation for the independent off-licence sector in Ireland, it should be involved in “the enforcement mechanics of Structural Separation as well as the drafting of instructions for Environmental Health Officers”.


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