Rural pubs and excise duty
Deputy Lawless argued that high excise duty and taxes were hurting rural pubs, which he described as vital community spaces. The Taoiseach said the Government had supported pubs during Covid, acknowledged the social value of pubs, and said closures were caused by multiple factors, not excise alone.
A pint in a pub is a healthier pint. There is a social dimension and, crucially, there is a referee. Government policy over recent years has hurt rural pubs. An average of 150 pubs close every year. Over the past 20 years, 2,000 pubs have closed. I raise the issue of excise duty and various different taxes. A third of the cost of a pint goes on excise duty. It is the second highest in Europe and it is hammering rural pubs. Rural pubs are the centre of our communities. They are not just local businesses. They are the heart of where fundraising happens and the focal point or pivot point of our communities. I know of a local publican who dispensed eye drops for a local bachelor for many years until he died. That is what the rural pub in Ireland is. The VFI is seeking a modest 40% rebate on excise duty. I ask the Taoiseach to engage with the federation and to reduce the cost of excise duty to protect rural pubs.
Comment on this
Over the past number of years, the Government has allocated significant investment to pubs. The investment during the Covid-19 pandemic was unprecedented and enabled many rural pubs to develop good outdoor facilities and so on. That is a good thing and very positive.
I do take the Deputy's point about socialisation being good for you. Professor Luke O'Neill has written in his Sunday Independent articles about socialisation being a very important metric or factor in mental and physical well-being.
There is a multifactorial reason for closures of rural pubs. It is not all just about the excise duty. There are other factors. Society is changing. For example, when a person retires from a family-owned pub, very often the younger generation does not necessarily want to take over the pub because of the way the economy is, with full employment and so on.
Comment on this
Will the Taoiseach engage with the VFI on the excise-----
