The labelling provisions in section 12 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 are currently set to come into force from 22 May 2026 under regulations which were introduced in 2023.

Then health minister Stephen Donnelly said in 2023 that Ireland was going to be “the first country in the world to take this step and introduce comprehensive health labelling of alcohol products”.

However, Mr Donohoe yesterday told RTÉ’s This Week radio programme that the law should be “carefully examined again” in light of the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s US administration, which are expected to increase pressure on the Irish drinks industry.

Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) has pushed back, pointing out that the labelling law would not impact exports as it only applies to alcohol products sold in Ireland.

“This call must be viewed as part of a long-running industry campaign against these modest regulations which aim to ensure consumers are provided with facts about some of the risks of alcohol including that alcohol causes liver disease and the link between alcohol and fatal cancers,” AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany said.

She added: “Ireland has been here before with smoking. Micheál Martin saw through the tobacco industry’s spin then and AAI calls on the Taoiseach to do likewise now and defend the public’s right to know over vested interests by explicitly ruling out any examination of alcohol labelling regulations.

“Why should the price of Trumps’s tariffs be Irish lives?”