Minister wants to impose minimum price for alcohol

She also wants to cut the number of outlets licensed to sell drink.

The Minister made the comments at the launch of a new report from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs which found that children of parents who abuse drink or drugs are more likely to have problems with mental health, school and addiction.

Minister Shorthall said that tackling Ireland's unhealthy relationship with alcohol is high on her agenda, and she is starting with supermarkets who use drink as a loss leader.

"We’re hoping that we would be able to move towards a situation where there would be a minimum price set per ounce of alcohol, and that would be in addition to the taxes that will be required to be paid," she said.

"Recently one of the supermarkets was selling two bottles of wine for a fiver. Now, you know, that's less than the actual excise duty on those bottles of wine, and I'd like to move to a certain situation where that would not be allowed under the law."