Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The elephant in the room in relation to alcohol is the predatory practises being pursued by the multiples. That is an issue that the Minister's Department will have to address. I accept it is not possible to treat the on-trade, the independent off-trade and the multiples separately in respect of excise duty. However, below-cost selling of alcohol by multiples is damaging to the on-trade, independent off-licences and society. As the Minister will be aware, the licensing system in this area is archaic in that a large multiple in this country pays the same amount, €500 per annum, as a small Centra store for an alcohol licence. It is a crazy system. When shining a light on this area, there must be an examination of the role of the multiples in terms of their aggressive below-cost selling of alcohol, which is what is doing the most damage to the pubs and independent off-licences that are struggling.

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