TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN recently did not rule out cutting excise on alcohol as part of next month’s budget. Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is reported to be in support of an excise cut, as a measure to help rural pubs. A cut in excise duty is exactly the wrong tool

The government cut the VAT rate for the hospitality sector as part of last year’s budget, with the rate for food services coming down from 13.5% to 9%, but this only applies to pubs that serve food, not alcohol.

Is it possible to save rural pubs by state-subsidised support to allow them to function as a public diner? Such a model already exists – why not pilot it in rural pubs in Ireland?

It is understood that Mr Burke would back any measure to aid rural pubs, and he’s completely right – Irish pubs are worth saving. But a cut in excise duty will not value our pubs – it will value alcohol consumption. A brew that the Irish have abused wholeheartedly for generations. It is time to normalise our relationship with alcohol.

Excise duties apply to all alcohol – not just alcohol sold in pubs

The alcohol industry persists in linking excise duty with pub closures. Alcohol Action Ireland outlines how they have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Alcohol excise duties have not increased since 2014 – 12 years ago. It is absurd to suggest that they are responsible for the market transforming. Excise duties apply to all alcohol, not just alcohol sold in pubs.

Making alcohol cheaper would lead to an increase in consumption across the population – which is exactly what the industry wants.

Comparing excise duty levels across countries is misleading. Ireland has the third-highest average annual full-time adjusted salary across the EU, behind only Luxembourg and Denmark, so alcohol is in fact very affordable in Ireland, and........

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