FDBusiness.com

The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) has called for the reversal of excise duty on alcohol, after new figures from Eurostat revealed that alcohol prices were the highest in Europe and 75% higher than the EU average. The Group, made up of restaurants, hotels, pubs, independent off-licences and suppliers, says that the high price of alcohol in Ireland is directly related to the unfair excise rate and this is a “direct tax on jobs, tourism and consumers”.

Between 2012 and 2013 the Government implemented huge excise increases as “an emergency measure” and these increases have remained in place ever since. In less than 12 months (between December 2012 and October 2013) the Irish government increased excise as follows:

• excise on beer increased by 44%
• excise on spirits increased by 37%
• excise on wine increased by 62%.

Donall O’Keeffe, Secretary of the Drinks Industry Group, says: “Excise is a tax on jobs, it is a tax on tourism and it is a tax on Irish consumers. Excise increases in Budget 2012 and 2013 were applied at a time of economic crisis and now that we are moving towards recovery, a reversal should be applied, to take this heavy burden from consumers, tourists and businesses in the drinks and hospitality sector. Today’s EUROSTAT figures provide compelling evidence for an excise reversal.”

DIGI, is currently running the ‘Support Your Local’ campaign seeks to highlight the significant social and economic contribution made by the Irish drinks industry. The campaign is bringing the message about the positive role that the industry plays in Ireland around the country. Recent data compiled by Tony Foley, Economist at DCU showed that the drinks industry and hospitality sector employs over 200,000 people in every corner of Ireland.