Donegal Brewing Company

One of Ireland’s newest craft breweries, Donegal Brewing Company is the brainchild of publican Brendan O’Reilly. His family owned pub, Dicey Reilly’s, had been trading for over 35 years when, in 2011, Brendan decided to set up a brewery on the premises. Producing a blond and ruby beer, Brendan now hosts coach tours that visit to learn about the craft brewing process as well coming to sample their fine beer.

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Contact Your Respresentative

As you will be aware, the Support Your Local Campaign 2017 is calling for a reduction in alcohol excise tax in Budget 2018.  As a constituent who is concerned about our local economy, I support the call to reduce excise tax on alcohol. I believe it is important that the government supports it as well, to protect and grow a sector that is vital to our local area.

The hospitality sector is critical to local employment. The CSO reports that 148k people are directly employed in the hospitality sector of restaurants, pubs and hotels and almost 210,000 jobs are directly and indirectly linked to it.

The industry in Ireland supports jobs, investment locally and represents businesses across the country to include:

- 7,193 pubs
- 983 licensed hotels and other
- 2,406 licensed restaurants
- 3,161 off-licences in Ireland
- 483 wholesalers
- 98 producers

Nationally, the industry supports €1.1bn worth of Irish inputs purchased by the industry annually and €1.25 billion worth of produce exported by the industry every year.

Independent research for the Support Your Local Campaign revealed that Ireland has the second highest level of excise tax on alcohol in the EU. We have the second highest beer excise tax (behind Finland), the highest wine excise tax, and the third highest spirits excise tax (behind Sweden and Finland).

This year we are asking TDs to be especially conscious of the consequences of Brexit – which has made Ireland 20% more expensive for UK visitors. According to Fáilte Ireland figures 40% of our overseas visitors come from the UK, so Brexit represents a real threat to our industry.  In this context there is a strong argument in favour of a decrease in excise tax on alcohol.

Deputy, I am asking you to write to the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to remind him of the huge contribution that the hospitality sector makes to the local economy. For the sake of the country’s tourism industry, for the sake of small business owners and entrepreneurs, and for the sake of hard-pressed Irish consumers, we are asking that the government looks to undo some of the emergency measures taken in the austerity era and reduce excise tax on alcohol in Budget 2018.

I look forward to hearing from you and to receiving copies of the Minister's response to your letter.

As you will be aware, the Support Your Local Campaign 2017 is calling for a reduction in alcohol excise tax in Budget 2018. As a constituent who is concerned about our local economy, I support the call to reduce excise tax on alcohol. I believe it is important that the government supports it as well, to protect and grow a sector that is vital to our local area.

The industry in Ireland supports jobs, investment locally and represents businesses across the country to include:

- 7,193 pubs

- 983 licensed hotels and other

- 2,406 licensed restaurants

- 3,161 off-licences in Ireland

- 483 wholesalers

- 98 producers

Nationally, the industry supports €1.1bn worth of Irish inputs purchased by the industry annually and €1.25 billion worth of produce exported by the industry every year.

This year we are asking TDs to be especially conscious of the consequences of Brexit – which has made Ireland 20% more expensive for UK visitors. According to Fáilte Ireland figures 40% of our overseas visitors come from the UK, so Brexit represents a real threat to our industry. In this context there is a strong argument in favour of a decrease in excise tax on alcohol.

I look forward to hearing from you and to receiving copies of the Minister's response to your letter.

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