The Vintners' Federation of Ireland has urged the government to cut alcohol duties by 15% in response to skyrocketing energy prices and the increased cost of living.
As people continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, the association wants to make socialising more affordable in an attempt to keep pubs' lights on this winter.
Over 1,800 pubs shut their doors between 2005 and the end of 2021, and the association says a tax cut could help prevent further closures.
The association, which represents over 4,000 pubs across the country, has called for two successive cuts of 7.5 per cent to help pubs stay open.
Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday, Chief Executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland Paul Clancy warned that pubs wouldn't survive the winter without additional government support in the form of tax cuts.
"After having had to deal with coronavirus, pubs are now being seriously affected by the cost-of-living crisis."
"Every input from food to wages to energy costs is rising."
Most expensive in the EU
The price of alcohol in Ireland is the highest in the European Union, according to data from Eurostat.
Ireland is famed throughout the world for the iconic Guinness brand and numerous high quality whiskeys. However, the Irish find themselves spending 205% of the EU average.
By contrast, drinking is cheapest in Bulgaria (64% of the EU average), followed by Poland (72%); Eurostat concluded the difference is mostly down to the amount of tax levied on alcohol.
Consumption
On the flipside, Alcohol Action Ireland believes excise duties on alcohol should increase along with inflation.
The comments came in response to a new report this year which found beer sales continue to fall.
The Alcohol Ireland report found people drank 2.3% less beer last year than in 2020 – a year which saw a significant fall in sales on the year before.
Meanwhile, Revenue figures published in March suggested Irish drinking was at its lowest level in 20 years – down around 30% since the peak in 2001.
Irish drinkers pay the second highest rate of excise on beer in the EU.
Main image shows taps in a bar. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
