Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I do not mean to rush speakers, but parts of this discussion could more usefully have taken place at the health or finance committees. We are specifically interested in the agronomics side of things.

From the committee's point of view the report on the retail grocery sector is the most relevant to the sector, this in addition to the economic aspect, that is, growing the products and ensuring the export markets are developed, whether it is through Bord Bia and various outlets abroad. The witnesses have got the feedback from committee members, in the context of our report, concerning the way in which alcohol is being used as a loss leader. It would be better to ban alcohol advertising in the newspapers. Only 20% to 25% of sales are through independent off-licence operators the rest is through the major large multiples. That is the real problem. We have a very concentrated drinking problem in Ireland. The reasons for this are not simple but they can be identified and addressed. That is what we should go after. Part of the problem is the pricing structure, including the taxation structure. If that issue was targeted realistically, one could then consider alternative ways of targeting taxation. It was the drinks industry - perhaps not the witnesses who are present - who asked that the cost of a bottle of wine be increased by €1 as opposed to putting a tariff on a pint in the lead-up to the budget when there was a realisation that we were in the middle of difficult budgetary choices. At the time that was the preferred choice. People may disagree with that but that was the response at the time. I have to call a halt as there are two other presentations. We had intended to finish at about 4.30 p.m.

I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee at relatively short notice.