Proposed appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Primary Care
I am delighted to have been proposed by An Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore for appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Primary Care.
I look forward to progressing the commitments made in the Programme for Government, and I would like to pay tribute to Roisin Shortall for setting so much of this in train. These are indeed difficult and challenging times. I will work assiduously with Minister Reilly and Minister of State Lynch, and the government as a whole, to bring
about significant reform to the delivery of our health services. We will do this in a way that ensures medical need, and not financial circumstances, will determine access to care and treatment.
Congratulations Alex on your appointment. I have been in close contact in the past with Roisin in relation to her Alcohol Strategy. I would urge you to address the use of Alcohol by our supermarkets as a marketing tool. Selling below cost alcohol in bulk offers causes increased alcohol consumption and costs the government lost VAT as every unit sold below cost generates a VAT rebate for Supermarkets. The loss to the exchequer must be easily in the region of €100m annually. Increasing duties will do nothing to stop this practice it will only generate bigger Rebates. A minimum price or ban on below cost selling of Alcohol as well as Banning it’s promotion every week in the papers will prove effective.
I look forward to your proposed legislation and urge you to act before Christmas when massive discounting occurs.
Best Wishes in your new role.
Yours sincerely
Donal Cash