Structural Separation
Public Health Alcohol Bill 2015
In October 2017, the CSNA launched a petition that garnered over 80,000 signatures from customers advocating for changes to Section 20 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.
This section mandates that all mixed trade stores must visually separate alcohol from other products, either behind a cabinet or in a distinct room.
The CSNA urged Senators and TDs to prevent the bill from passing in its current form, citing its potential negative impact on retailers.
In December 2017, significant and favourable amendments to Section 20 of the PHAB were reached, with prior agreement from the CSNA ahead of the Report Stage in the Seanad later that week.
These amendments aimed to reduce or eliminate the additional costs introduced by the original bill, following extensive consideration by the CSNA National Executive. The CSNA submitted detailed proposals to both the Department and the Minister to advocate for our members’ interests.
CSNA members are collectively grateful to the Senators we engaged with to ensure our reasonable proposals were accepted. We also acknowledge the efforts of Padraig White and the RRAI secretariat, who faced the challenging task of formatting our proposals for Parliament and refining the details. We will provide further information on the actual changes and new wording of the Section as it pertains to us. A huge thank you to all members who campaigned on this crucial issue.
In November 2018, following highly effective lobbying, the CSNA met with Department of Health officials to address specific aspects of the Section that impact our “wine only” and “full” license holders.
Retailers had two years to ensure their stores complied with legal obligations following Minister Simon Harris’s signing of the relevant Commencement orders, which designate November 12, 2020, as the effective date for the Structural Separation Section of the Bill.
Mixed retail outlets must confine alcohol products and their advertising to one of the following configurations: an area separated by a 1.2-meter high barrier, units where alcohol products are not visible up to 1.5 meters high, or a maximum of three display units, each no wider than 1 meter and no taller than 2.2 meters.
Additionally, alcohol products may be stored in units behind the counter, provided they are not visible.
