Ireland Revealed as Having Second Highest Alcohol Excise Duty Across EU and UK

Ireland Revealed as Having Second Highest Alcohol Excise Duty Across EU and UK Drinks sector urge Government to begin process of reducing excise duty in Budget 2024 as cost of doing business soars. Excise duty on the price of a pint 11 times higher in Ireland compared to Germany. Excise duty on a glass of [...]Read More

Survey shows rural publicans feeling the pressure amid rising cost of doing business

Survey shows rural publicans feeling the pressure amid rising cost of doing business Energy, staffing, taxes and insurance identified as biggest cost drivers. Publicans call for reduction in excise duty in upcoming budget. A new survey of publicans has found that 44% of rural pubs have seen their business costs rise by over 30% with [...]Read More

Almost 2,000 pub closures across Ireland since 2005, new analysis shows

Almost 2,000 pub closures across Ireland since 2005, new analysis shows 108 pubs closed their doors in 2022 alone with rural Irish communities the worst hit by closures Analysis shows the rate of decline in rural pubs has accelerated since Covid-19 • Drinks Industry Group of Ireland analysis shows Irish pub decline reaches an alarming [...]Read More

An excise rate cut would reduce costs for 1,000s of businesses overnight – hospitality sector

An excise rate cut would reduce costs for 1,000s of businesses overnight – hospitality sector DIGI calls for excise tax on drinks to be reduced by 7.5% in Budget 2023 Call comes amid dramatic increases in costs as electricity prices for businesses are an eye-watering 60% higher than the EU average, gas users experienced a [...]Read More

Cost-of-living crisis leaves many in the hospitality sector vulnerable as costs soar

Drinks Industry Group of Ireland analysis makes for dismal reading for hospitality business owners Report finds that all hospitality businesses are experiencing soaring cost increases across food products (up 8.1%); meat products up (11.3%); poultry products up (13.4%); and dairy products (up 50%) Electricity prices for businesses are an eye watering 60% higher than the [...]Read More

Irish consumers pay more tax on a pint of beer than 25 EU member states and UK

Industry leaders warn of impact of high excise tax on consumers and the hospitality sector as cost-of-living crisis worsens Ireland has the second highest overall rate of excise tax on drinks when compared to the EU27 and UK Ireland has the highest wine excise in the EU27 and UK, while fifteen EU countries do not [...]Read More

Over 21% decline in Irish pubs since 2005, new report shows

1,829 less pubs in Ireland over 16-year period, while 349 closed during Covid period Drinks Industry Group of Ireland analysis shows 21.2% (1,829) of pubs closed between 2005 and 2021 Decrease in pubs in every county in Ireland, while 4.9% (349) of pubs closed throughout pandemic period 2019 - 2021 Laois most affected reporting a [...]Read More

Highest EU and UK tax burden on Ireland’s hospitality industry ‘unsustainable’ in post pandemic recovery

DIGI says Government must prioritise industries most impacted by pandemic with ‘actions’ and not ‘promises’ in Budget 2022 as high tax rates will delay recovery and cost jobs Group estimates that the drinks and hospitality industry is set to employ 140,000 people in 2022 - 40,000 fewer than in Q4 2019, the last pre-pandemic quarter [...]Read More

New Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) analysis warns of two-tier recovery in 2022, with hospitality facing major post-Covid challenges

40,000 fewer jobs in drinks and hospitality industry in 2022 as impact of pandemic set to continue despite predicted economic recovery – new analysis New Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) analysis warns of two-tier recovery in 2022, with hospitality facing major post-Covid challenges DIGI analysis of DCU economist report suggests weakened tourism demand will [...]Read More

Concern for recovery of hospitality sector as new report shows Ireland has second highest excise rates in Europe

Concern for recovery of hospitality sector as new report shows Ireland has second highest excise rates in Europe Industry warns high excise rates will impact on ability of sector to recover and attract tourists back to Ireland DCU economist report shows Ireland is an outlier in Europe with the second highest overall excise tax rate [...]Read More

REPORT: Tax-on-Ireland’s-drinks-and-hospitality-sector

Tax on Ireland’s drinks and hospitality sectorRead More

INFOGRAPHIC: HOW IRELAND’S EXCISE TAX COMPARES WITH OTHER EU COUNTRIES AND THE UK

REPORT SUMMARY EXCISE TAX IN IRELANDRead More

TAX REPORT: HOW IRELAND COMPARES WITH OTHER EU COUNTRIES AND THE UK

TAX REPORT HOW IRELAND COMPARES WITH OTHER EU COUNTRIES AND THE UKRead More

Local publican features in national ‘Support Your Local’ campaign to secure support for drinks industry

PRESS RELEASE 05.10.2020 Local publican features in national ‘Support Your Local’ campaign to secure support for Cork's drinks and hospitality industry  Cork native Margaret O’ Shea, owner of Butler’s Bar, Minane Bridge, features in the national Support Your Local campaign run by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland which aims to secure support for Cork's drinks industry and to protect jobs Mrs O’ Shea is the fifth-generation owner of Butler’s Bar in  Minane Bridge, Cork  30,100 people employed in the accommodation and food services (AFS) industry in the [...]Read More

Up to 33,000 of Dublin’s drinks and hospitality jobs jeopardised

PRESS RESEASE 20.09.2020 As many as 33,000 of Dublin’s drinks and hospitality jobs jeopardised as city moved to level three lockdown while young people particularly at risk — new report 10,600 jobs could be lost among Dublin’s 15-24 age group, according to a new economic report by DCU Business School economist Anthony Foley As many [...]Read More

EMPLOYMENT REPORT: THE THREAT OF COVID-19 TO JOBS

Employment in the drinks and hospitality industry. The threat of covid-19 to jobs and how to minimise itRead More

Further restrictions would have grave implications for the hospitality industry

PRESS RELEASE 18.09.2020: Urging the government not to impose any further restrictions on restaurants and bars serving food, newly appointed Chair of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, Liam Reid said:   “We urge the government not to impose any further restrictions on restaurants and pubs serving food as these would have grave implications for [...]Read More

Uncertainty continues to spread as government prolongs the closure of ‘wet’ pubs in Dublin

Press Release 15.09.2020: Statement from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland spokesperson on government decision to prolong closure of ‘wet pubs’ in Dublin   “Ireland’s pubs have endured the longest lockdown in the EU. While we acknowledge the government's support for so-called 'wet’ pubs outside Dublin and are relieved that they will be permitted to [...]Read More

How was the delayed reopening of pubs affected people in Ireland?

We spoke to consumers in Ireland to find out how these prolonged closures affected them and their communities. infographic-consumer-v6Read More

60% of consumers believe publicans will enforce health measures when reopening

Press Release 08.09.2020:   Three fifths of Irish consumers believe publicans will act responsibly and ensure public health measures are enforced correctly when reopening. Over half of local pubs are reported as temporarily or permanently closed as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, according to new Drinks Industry Group of Ireland survey 60% are concerned about [...]Read More

Consumers are concerned about the impact of pub closures on their community

Press Release 07.09.2020: Almost two thirds of Irish consumers are concerned about the impact of prolonged pub closures on their community and local economy   Over half of local pubs are reported as temporarily or permanently closed as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, according to new Drinks Industry Group of Ireland survey Half of all [...]Read More

Drinks Industry Group of Ireland on the newly announced stimulus package

Press Release 28.08.2020: Comment by Drinks Industry Group of Ireland on the Government’s newly announced stimulus package for pubs, bars, and other hospitality businesses:   “While some support is better than none, the Government’s new package shows short-term thinking and a failure to grasp the magnitude of the situation that publicans are facing. “Since the [...]Read More

Drinks industry calls for dedicated hospitality support package

Press Release 27.08.2020: Drinks industry calls for dedicated hospitality support package as Ireland’s pubs and bars endure longest lockdown in the EU Thirteen EU member states, including Germany and Italy, reopened their bars in May; nine, including France and Spain, reopened in June Drinks Industry Group of Ireland has called for a dedicated pub support [...]Read More

Excise tax rates in Europe — How Ireland compares

DIGI published its International comparisons of Irish alcohol excise taxation in the European Union in 2019 report today. The report, supported with research and analysis by DCU economist Anthony Foley and research conducted among Irish consumers and the DIGI membership, shows that this country remains in the unenviable position of having some of the EU’s [...]Read More

National and Regional Employment in the Drinks and Hospitality Sector in 2019: Structure and Performance

DIGI published its National and Regional Employment in the Drinks and Hospitality Sector in 2019 report today. This report, supported with research and analysis by DCU economist Anthony Foley and research conducted among Irish consumers and the DIGI membership, highlights the positive contributions of the drinks and hospitality sector to Ireland’s economy and society, as well [...]Read More

Building a Sustainable Drinks and Hospitality Sector

DIGI published its Building a Sustainable Drinks and Hospitality Sector today. This report, supported with research and analysis by DCU economist Anthony Foley and research conducted among Irish consumers and the DIGI membership, highlights the positive contributions of the drinks and hospitality sector to Ireland’s economy and society, as well as the challenges it faces [...]Read More

Jim Edwards of Kinsale: from local bar to award-winning gastropub

“My dad was a manager of a pub in Cork city. He overheard a conversation about a pub for sale in Kinsale, cycled down the next day, then borrowed money off his dad and took a punt on it.” Forty-seven years later, it’s clear the punt has paid off. New proprietor Liam Edwards says that [...]Read More

National and Regional Employment

DIGI published its National and Regional Employment in the Drinks and Hospitality Industry report, authored by DCU economist Anthony Foley. The report found that Ireland’s drinks industry is experiencing its renaissance. Modern consumers demand quality and variety. In response, drinks businesses have seized the opportunity to produce, market and sell innovative new products to customers [...]Read More

From Hong Kong to Donegal: the 6,000-mile homecoming of Sliabh Liag distillery

The founders of Sliabh Liag distillery, James and Moira Doherty “If we build something right, we could be building something that could be here for 200 years. That’s the kind of contribution we want to make,” says James Doherty, co-founder of the Sliabh Liag distillery in Co Donegal. Sliabh Liag, named after the eponymous mountain, [...]Read More

New beer and new apps: how Diageo stays ahead of the curve

Deborah Maher, Diageo Behind every old pub, upmarket bar and plush hotel is a network of suppliers. Diageo, one of Ireland’s largest drinks employers, helps to keep the country’s on-trade drinks businesses well stocked with beer and spirits, including favourites like Guinness, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan. Deborah Maher is Diageo’s Commercial Manager for Key [...]Read More

Redmonds of Ranelagh: 75 years of off-licence innovation

“We carry seven or eight different sakes.”   Times have changed for Redmonds of Ranelagh, the two-time winner of the National Off-Licence of the Year Award. Once, the family owners sold groceries and bottled their own Guinness in-store. Now, they sell hundreds of wines and beers, non-alcoholic gin, “seventeen or eighteen different bitters”, and, of [...]Read More

Murty Rabbitt’s: A local pub steeped in gold, rebellion and community spirit

With origins in one of the great American gold rushes and a long history of famous visitors and support for local groups and sports clubs, Murty Rabbitt’s, located on Galway’s Forster Street just off the city’s iconic Eyre Square, is no ordinary pub. “The pub was bought in 1872 with gold from the 1849 San [...]Read More

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

DIGI published its Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Drinks Industry report, authored by DCU economist Anthony Foley, to mark the launch of its annual Support Your Local campaign. The report found that brewers, distillers, cider producers, pubs, restaurants, hotels and off-licences are supporting and growing economic activity in Ireland—spread widely across the country. 14 percent [...]Read More

No Place Like Home

More than half (55%) of Irish people visit Irish pubs when travelling abroad, while nearly two thirds (63%) of us …

Ireland vs. EU: Excise Tax

Ireland has the second highest excise duty on alcohol in the European Union. We have the highest wine excise, the …

Brexit risks a repeat ‘recession effect’

After nine months of speculation, parliamentary debates, appeals and court judgements, British Prime Minister Theresa May has triggered Article 50 …

Tourism Report 2016

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE DRINKS INDUSTRY TO TOURISM By Anthony Foley Dublin City University Business School Commissioned by the Drinks …

Situated in West Cavan and central to the UNESCO Geopark, the village of Bawnboy is home to The Keepers Arms …