Under section 4 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, the environmental health service of the HSE will be notified in advance of applications for licences under the Intoxicating Liquor Acts and can appear and give evidence at hearings on these applications.

Meanwhile, section 10 of the Act, repealing certain sections of the Intoxicating Liquor Acts which have been replaced by sections of the 2018 Act, such as section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 which was replaced by section 22 of the 2018 Act, has come into effect immediately.

The minister’s regulation-making powers under section 12 of the Act on labelling and section 13 on advertisements have also come into effect.

Health minister Stephen Donnelly said: “The commencement of these provisions is further progress toward bringing all sections of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act into operation.

“The Act is designed to reduce the harms caused by the misuse of alcohol and to delay the initiation of alcohol consumption by our children and young people. We will continue our work on the remaining provisions in order to deliver on those objectives.”

Frank Feighan, minister of state with responsibility for public health, wellbeing and national drugs strategy, added: “The Health Research Board reported this year that 1,000 of our population die every year from alcohol related harm. The measures in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act will help to reduce those numbers.

“I welcome today’s commencements as further progress toward the full implementation and enforcement of this important piece of law.”