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Irish Examiner
27-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Alcohol health labelling 'will add over a third to costs'
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was lobbied by business representative group Ibec to delay the introduction of alcohol warning labels for 'at least' four years due to tariff fears. Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy warned the Fianna Fáil leader that the new requirements would lead to packaging and labelling costs increasing by 'over one-third'. The letter also suggested that some distillers had even suspended brewing in fear of impending tariffs by the US administration. Mr McCoy also sent the letter to Tánaiste and trade minister Simon Harris and health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in early June. The Government agreed earlier last week to suspend the rollout of warning labels for two years. In May 2023, then health minister Stephen Donnelly signed the Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2023. It was envisaged that the law would make it mandatory for alcohol product labels to state the calorie content and grams of alcohol in the product. They would also warn about the risk of consuming alcohol when pregnant and about the risk of liver disease and fatal cancers from alcohol consumption. The change was due to come into effect in May 2026, to allow a three-year implementation period for the drinks industry. However, there have been rumblings in recent weeks that the plan would be postponed, with Mr Harris saying that it would be additional disruption and a 'potential trade barrier' as tariff negotiations continue. At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, the Tánaiste told ministers that Ms Carroll MacNeill will defer the plans for two years. This is despite reports that it would be a four-year pause. Correspondence released under Freedom of Information (FoI) shows that the Taoiseach was being lobbied by Ibec to drop the labelling plans. On June 3, Mr McCoy called for the plans to be dropped for four years 'at least'. 'The wider drinks sector, but particularly many of the new emerging distilleries, have significant exposure to these new tariffs and the wider trade uncertainty,' wrote Mr McCoy. 'The majority of distilling across the country is now suspended. The introduction of new labelling requirements for the drinks sector, which will add over one-third to product labelling and packaging costs, should be suspended for at least four years to give some certainty to operators. 'Reducing regulatory burden costs to free up resources to allow companies invest in finding new markets would be a positive development.' Mr McCoy said that the legislation had been cited by the US administration in its 2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, which he said was 'cause for further concern and reason for this legislation to be deferred'. He added: 'The industry does not want this to be an issue of disagreement in overall efforts to secure a resolution on trade relations and restoration of a tariff-free trading environment.' Further correspondence shows the letter was also forwarded from the Taoiseach's office to the Department of Enterprise several days later seeking an update on enterprise minister Peter Burke's engagement with Ms Carroll MacNeill. A letter sent from Mr Burke to Ms Carroll MacNeill on May 15 was also released under FoI. He said that recent months have seen 'significant global uncertainty and a rapidly shifting trading landscape', which he said 'could have profound competitiveness implications for small open economies like Ireland'. Mr Burke said that Ireland would be the first country in Europe to introduce the labels. 'The proposed measures will mean increased production and sale costs for Irish producers and importers and add to the price payable by consumers at a time when prices are also rising due to a multitude of other factors,' wrote Mr Burke. 'Notwithstanding the overarching health benefits of the proposal, I would ask you to consider pausing the introduction of the proposed new requirements.' Calls not to delay plans Meanwhile, Mr Martin was urged not to delay the plans and received a letter just last week from Alcohol Action Ireland chief executive Sheila Gilheany. She said that 'postponing alcohol health information labelling is not consequence free given the thousands harmed by alcohol in Ireland.' Read More Delaying alcohol warning labels prioritises profiteering over health, says Irish Medical Organisation
Irish Daily Mirror
02-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Decision to defer alcohol labelling in coming days as tariff deadline looms
A decision to defer warning labels on alcohol will be made later this week amid concerns about global trade, Tánaiste Simon Harris has confirmed. However, there has been some pushback to the plan, with one Government source suggesting that the move had very little to do with trade in the first place. The Government Trade Forum met on Wednesday at Government Buildings to discuss the tariffs situation a week out from US President Donald Trump's 90-day pause coming to an end. In May 2023, Stephen Donnelly, the former health minister, signed the Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2023. It was envisaged that the law would ensure that the labels of alcohol products would state the calorie content and grams of alcohol in the product. They would warn about the risk of consuming alcohol when pregnant and about the risk of liver disease and fatal cancers from alcohol consumption. It was due to come into effect in May 2026 following a three-year lead-in time. However, there have been rumblings in recent weeks that the plans would be shelved. Speaking at Government Buildings on Wednesday, the Tánaiste confirmed a decision to defer them will be made in the coming days. He said: 'This issue came up quite a lot at the trade forum as well. 'I'm very proud of the progress we've made as a country on public health and very proud of the Public Health Act. I would have played a part in the passage of that legislation when I was Minister for Health. 'I think there's a legitimate issue in relation to the timing, in relation to changing the labels on alcohol bottles. 'What we don't want to do for a sector that's already quite challenged and already experiencing significant disruption as a result of the trade environment, is impose, at this time, a further trade barrier or a potential trade barrier. 'I'm very much of the view that we need to defer the implementation. It will be a matter for the Minister for Health [Jennifer Carroll MacNeill] and we'll work closely together on this to decide a timeline in relation to that, but I expect we'll be able to bring clarity to this in the coming days.' However, there has been some pushback in Government over the decision to defer the labelling, with one senior source calling it 'bullsh*t'. They argued that the only products that need to be labelled are those sold on the Irish market and that labelling has 'nothing to do with trade'. Elsewhere, the Tánaiste stated that a week away from the tariff deadline, '10 per cent seems to be the baseline' and that the EU will be seeking to 'maximise the number of sectors where there is zero for zero'. He said: 'You can only judge President Trump on what he's done and in the only agreements that President Trump has reached so far, tariffs have been embedded. 'In fact, at the moment, the choice isn't between 10 per cent and zero. Remember, this day next week (Wednesday), 10 per cent is due to rise to 50 per cent if there isn't either an extension or an agreement. 'The European Union and Ireland want zero tariffs. We don't believe in tariffs. We believe they're not a good idea. 'But we also have to, obviously, negotiate a way forward here.' The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Business Times
30-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Fidrec extends jurisdiction to include claims from small businesses and charities from July
[SINGAPORE] The Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (Fidrec) is extending its jurisdiction to include small businesses and charities from Tuesday (Jul 1). This comes after the organisation's 2024 public consultation displayed strong support for making it accessible to small businesses. This is aligned with Singapore's broader push to strengthen support for small businesses and build a more resilient non-profit sector. With this move, over 200,000 small businesses and 2,000 charities who have disputes arising on or after Jul 1 against licensed financial institutions subscribed to Fidrec can bring their unresolved disputes to the organisation. Fidrec will now also handle a broader range of claims which include: Disputes over employee medical insurance claims Insurance claims involving company-owned vehicles Issues with business banking services and corporate card accounts Loan agreement-related disputes Eunice Chua, chief executive officer of Fidrec, said: 'Small businesses and charities in Singapore face mounting challenges in today's volatile global economy. We recognise that managing financial disputes on top of day-to-day operations can be overwhelming, and that these organisations are akin to individual consumers in their ability to deal with financial disputes.' For the banking sector, Ong-Ang Ai Boon, director of The Association of Banks in Singapore, said that Fidrec's expansion to include small businesses and charities is 'a welcomed move.' 'These segments, which often rely on banking services, now have greater access to fair and independent dispute resolution, further strengthening confidence in the broader financial ecosystem,' she said. Fidrec's jurisdiction, including the definition of an 'eligible complainant', is governed by its Terms of Reference, as set out in section six of the Financial Services and Markets (Dispute Resolution Schemes) Regulations 2023.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Simon Harris confirms delay to yet another Government plan
The Government announced yet another delay to plans as Tánaiste Simon Harris confirmed that health warning labels being put on alcohol bottles will be delayed. Housing Minister James Browne, meanwhile, insisted that the decision to delay the new housing plan was "common sense". In May 2023, then-health minister Stephen Donnelly signed the Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2023. It was envisaged that the law would ensure that the labels of alcohol products would state the calorie content and grams of alcohol in the product. They would warn about the risk of consuming alcohol when pregnant and about the risk of liver disease and fatal cancers from alcohol consumption. A three-year lead-in time was built into the legislation to allow businesses to prepare and it was expected to come into force from May 2026. However, the Tánaiste has now confirmed that it will be delayed as he expressed concerns about making the changes at a time of uncertainty due to impending US tariffs. Mr Harris said: "I'm extremely proud that we brought in legislation that has helped, I think, create a healthier relationship with alcohol in Ireland and help protect children and young people in relation to alcohol. "Of course, so many parts of that legislation have already been commenced and enacted. Indeed, if you walk into any local supermarket, any local convenience store, you'll see the structural separation, the restrictions in terms of where advertising can be in terms of proximity to schools, to playgrounds, on public transport. "A lot of good changes have been made. Of course, minimum unit pricing, which wasn't easy, came in as well. "It is true that there's a decision to be made now in terms of when to proceed with the issue of labelling. "It is my view that we will need to delay that. I think we need to do that for a variety of reasons, most particularly the situation in relation to trade and tariffs. "We have to protect jobs, we have to protect investment and we have to support Irish businesses and Irish industry at a really key moment of economic turbulence. "The government as a whole will make a decision on this in the coming weeks, but this is about providing a breather or a delay, as opposed to changing the legislation, which is clear in relation to labelling." When asked if it would be brought in in the next five years, Mr Harris said the delay will not be that long. The Tánaiste, who is also the Trade Minister, said that Wednesday marked 13 days until the end of US President Donald Trump's 90-day pause. This, he said, meant there was very little time for the EU to negotiate a deal with the US. He added: "We need to find a deal that works. "I think there's an air of pragmatism beginning to come back into the discussion and I now intend to convene the Government's trade forum early next week to tease through issues with key stakeholders and key Government departments." Meanwhile, Housing Minister James Browne confirmed that the housing plan will be delayed. He said: "It's just common sense in terms of we won't be able to finalise and publish the housing plan until the National Development Plan is completed."
Time of India
20-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Thiruvananthapuram: Conditional waivers granted for residential construction under overhead power lines
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Power department cleared 16 of 19 applications seeking exemption for carrying out construction activities under heavy-duty overhead power lines . The decision was taken by exercising state govt's special powers. The exemptions were granted by exercising rules 62 and 63 of the Central Electricity Authority (Measures Relating to Safety and Electrical Supply) Regulations 2023 based on the recommendations of a three-member committee set up by state govt. Though clause 136 of the regulation prohibits constructions of all categories under high-tension power lines , govt can give conditional approvals to applications if they are for residential purposes, provided the proposed constructions maintain the mandatory minimum distance from the lines. Most exemptions were given to applicants from Thiruvananthapuram district. While 10 applicants from Thiruvananthapuram got exemptions, three applicants each from Ernakulam and Alappuzha were granted exemptions. However, the conditional approval holds the landowners responsible for any kind of loss to life or property due to the power lines in future. They won't be eligible for any compensation from KSEB or govt in the event of any unforeseen loss or damage.
