O’Keeffe highlights role of alcohol beverage in Irish economy
THE alcohol beverage sector makes a significant contribution to the economy, Deputy Kevin O’Keeffe told the Dáil.
The drinks sector supports the employment of more than 200,000 people.
“This includes brewers, distillery workers, suppliers, farmers, distributors and those working in the hospitality sector,” he said.
“Each year, the alcohol beverage sector generates wages of €2.9 billion and purchases of Irish produce worth over €1.1 billion.
“It exports goods worth over €1.25 billion and provides the State with over €2.3 billion through excise and VAT income. It generates hundreds of millions of euro in income tax, PRSI receipts and tax on profits annually. Ireland exports drink products to 130 markets worldwide.
“This reinforces our reputation as a premium food and drinks producer.”
Speaking on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill , he said it is a contradiction, he said, that ministers will be promoting Irish products in China even though, back home in Ireland, we almost decided to require drinks to be put behind black curtains.
“I would not say it is like a form of prohibition, but it is something akin to what is happening with drugs,” he said. “The biggest exporter of illegal drugs is Colombia, which foists its problems on other countries. Are we telling people elsewhere in the world to take our products because we do not want them here? That is what we are saying. It will portray a bad image of this country.”
Deputy O’Keeffe said the Irish Distillers facility in Midleton is a major employer in his own backyard. It is expanding every day to increase its markets, create jobs and thereby benefit tillage farmers.
“Tillage farming is under fierce pressure,” he said. “The only way tillage farmers can make a proper income is by selling premium malt.
“The Eight Degrees micro-brewery in Mitchelstown is expanding on a daily basis, including through export sales. It is ironic in the context of this legislation that one of our colleagues in the Labour Party has proposed a Bill which seeks to allow drink to be purchased on site at breweries.
“I am in favour of the Bill in question because there is no point in going to taste a product if one cannot buy it there and then.”