"Time is running out" to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol, the Health Minister has warned.
During health questions in Stormont Mike Nesbitt said he is "passionate" about introducing the scheme but is experiencing "blockage" from his colleagues in the Executive.
The minister's department undertook a public consultation exercise on setting a minimum price for alcohol in 2022 and Mr Nesbitt has previously stated that alcohol misuse costs Northern Ireland £900 million a year.
I need the Executive to support me and as yet I have not had full Executive support
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) was introduced in Scotland in 2018 and means alcohol such as beer, wine and vodka cannot be sold for less than 65p per unit.
In 2023, there were 341 registered alcohol-specific deaths in Northern Ireland, accounting for 2.0% of all deaths.
While slightly lower than the 356 recorded in 2022, deaths have risen by more than 65% in the last decade.
Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly said chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride told Stormont's Health Committee "evidence for the minimum unit pricing of alcohol is irrefutable".
"We've also heard this from many health organisations and charities who work in this area," he said.
"What is the minister's understanding of barriers to this being legislated for in this mandate, and not becoming a missed opportunity to save lives and to reduce the pressure on the health service?"
Mr Nesbitt said: "I applaud the chief medical officer because Professor Sir Michael McBride is passionate about introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol.
"I am passionate about MUP for alcohol, and there is really solid evidence.
"Most recently, the chief medical officer and I attended a presentation from Sheffield University who have looked in real detail on the impact on the population here in Northern Ireland from that alcohol misuse.
"There is a blockage. I need the Executive to support me and as yet I have not had full Executive support."
UUP MLA Alan Chambers said the minister had taken "demonstrable action" to try to make progress on the issue.
He asked: "Does he agree with me, however, that we are now in the rapidly shrinking window of opportunity to make progress with the Bill, and that if the Executive blockage isn't soon removed, that the opportunity to progress this vital MUP legislation in this mandate will be lost?"
Mr Nesbitt replied: "The policy requires the support of the Executive, I shall await formal confirmation of the position of Executive colleagues.
"Time is running out, and I would just add to that, prior to April 6 coming, I'm required to either bring forward legislation to set that minimum unit price or make a statement to the Assembly of why it has not been reasonably practical to do so.
"That's a requirement in the Licensing and Registrations of Clubs Amendment Act Northern Ireland 2021, I fear I am going to be doing the latter, and I very, very much regret that."
Mr Nesbitt has frequently spoken out about tackling health inequalities in Northern Ireland.
Earlier in the session he told MLAs: "I really think I would encourage the next mandate, the next executive, to think about health inequalities, educational underachievement, economic inactivity because the social determinants of all three are basically the same and they affect the areas of deprivation, those families, those people, the most.
"And it's generation to generation to generation, and it's time we took a chunk out of that."