The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) says that Minister Leo Varadkar's intention to introduce significant restrictions in how alcohol (including wine) is made available to the public "will cost jobs and hasten the closure of many family-run businesses".
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill , if passed, will introduce a law that requires retailers to choose to store alcohol in a separate area of the store, or in a closed cabinet.
A statement by the CSNA said that despite much of the public focus being on the introduction of minimum pricing for alcohol,"retailers should be far more concerned at the stated intent of the minister to include wine as a product requiring structural separation".
The CSNA believe that this measure goes against the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Heads of the Bill, in which Alcohol Committee chairman Jerry Buttimer explicitly stated that the Committee were aware of the effect any changes to the laws surrounding the sale of alcohol would have on small, independent businesses.
The CSNA concluded its statement by insisting that retailers must contact their local TD and express their dissatisfaction with this section of the Bill.
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