204,000 Jobs Are Dependent on Drinks and Hospitality Sector in Ireland
The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland has launched the Support Your Local campaign for 2016, which seeks to highlight the significant economic contribution that the drinks and hospitality industry makes to communities across Ireland. To coincide with the launch of Support Your Local 2016, new research by DCU economist Tony Foley, commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, detailed hospitality sector employment.
Mr Foley’s research concludes that the combined drinks and hospitality sector supports 204,000 jobs across Ireland. The report highlights that in recent years there has been a substantial increase in the number of new craft breweries and distilleries, with 57 breweries and distilleries now operating across Ireland, supporting growth and innovation in the sector. The drinks and other hospitality sectors have a combined wage bill of €4.3 billion.
Ireland’s pubs, restaurants, hotels and independent off-licences contribute to rural employment and supports Ireland’s tourism offering.
* There are 7,193 pubs across Ireland
* There are 631 licenced hotels and 2.406 licenced restaurants across Ireland
* The hospitality sector has combined turnover of €7.1 billion
* The sector purchases €4.3 billion of materials and services inputs
* There are 3,233 off licences in Ireland.
The research confirms the importance of the drinks industry and hospitality sector, particularly to Ireland’s agri-economy:
* Drinks manufacturing companies purchased €884 million in materials in 2015 including agricultural products and €564 million in services purchases
* The drinks industry uses almost 50,000 tonnes of Irish apples in production.
* The drinks industry uses over 200,000 tonnes of Irish barley and malted barley
* The drinks industry uses about 300 million litres of Irish milk.
The drinks and hospitality industry in Ireland supports 178 wholesalers and 57 producers. It supported €99 million worth of agri-outputs in 2015.
Tony Foley comments: “The national economic impact of the drinks industry and wider hospitality sector is substantial. Of note is the fact that the drinks industry and wider hospitality sector makes a significant contribution to the economic life of towns and villages outside of urban centres. This is supported by the vast network of pubs, restaurants, hotels and independent off-licences which have a presence in every constituency across Ireland. One key driver for growth in the drinks industry is craft – with a huge increase in the number of breweries and distilleries opening across Ireland in recent years.”
Michael Storan, Campaign Manager for Support Your Local, says: “In 2016, the Support Your Local campaign will be continuing to highlight the positive contribution of the drinks and wider hospitality sector over the coming months. The drinks and hospitality industry continues to invest, innovate and grow. This is an exciting industry with fantastic stories to tell – the huge increase in distilleries and breweries as identified in Tony Foley’s research indicates that we are at the cusp of huge change in the industry. When we say ‘Support Your Local’, we are calling on communities to support your local farmer; support your local distillery or brewery; support your local pub, restaurant, hotel or independent off-licence; and support your local community.”
The ‘Support Your Local’ campaign is supported and funded by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland. The campaign was launched in 2014 and will run in 2016 for the third year. All members of that group – including suppliers, pubs, restaurants, hotels and independent off-licences are enthusiastically asking people to recognise the massive contribution that the industry makes to local communities all over Ireland, and are calling on everyone to ‘Support Your Local’.
