Mr. Padraig Cribben:

The number one attraction for tourists, as found in successive Fáilte Ireland surveys, is the experience of music and what they call "craic" in Irish pubs. It is the number one attraction.

The Chairman is correct. If one looks across Europe at the excise on wine, for example, in the wine-producing countries of Europe, it is zero in both Spain and Portugal, and two degrees north of zero in France. They have their own mechanism to safeguard the products that are produced in their countries. We do not tend to take that kind of approach in this country.

We have to ensure manufacturing and retailing jobs in the drinks sector are protected. The real jobs in the retailing side are in the pubs. The ratio between pubs and off-licences - not the independent off-trade but in the multiple retailers - is 7:1 or 8:1. The Government has been discussing for too long the suite of measures required. We have heard a lot of talk followed by more talk when we need action on pricing, segregation and price-based advertising. The way in which supermarkets deal with alcohol is sold as being consumer friendly, but it is quite the opposite because consumers are paying more for staple products to compensate for the below-cost sale of alcohol.