Eire faces daytime drink ad ban

Alcohol advertising on daytime TV is to be banned in the Irish Republic under legislation that will go before Parliament in the next few months.

The Alcohol Products Bill, which has already been approved by Cabinet, will also restrict the placement of outdoor alcohol advertisements. Sponsorship of youth leisure activities by drinks companies will be outlawed and there is speculation the Bill may propose mandatory health warnings on beer and spirits, similar to those used on tobacco products.

According to Health Promotion Minister Sean Power, the measures are intended to tackle alcohol abuse by young people. "Binge drinking among the young is a big problem and this is one way of helping to address the issue," he said. "What we are trying to do is postpone the age at which young people take their first drink and then encourage them to drink responsibly."

Campaigners are now pressing for a 9pm watershed for all alcohol TV commercials, following confirmation by the minister that a daytime advertising ban will be introduced.

Diageo spokesman Pat Barry questioned the likely effectiveness of a daytime advertising ban, pointing out that all alcohol ads are already scrutinised in advance by an official vetting body, and that complaints"have dropped to almost zero".

The industry, he said, was developing a code that would prevent the placement of outdoor ads adjacent to schools or the use of TV advertising close to programmes viewed mainly by children. Similarly, the industry has a code on sports sponsorship and Diageo would be "disappointed" if an outright ban was imposed.