Eddie Bohan (Fianna Fail)

I do not know from where the figure of a 15 cent increase in the price of a pint came. The newspapers, as usual, had it on the front pages. Diageo is to add 6 cent plus VAT per pint. The Licensed Vintners' Association and the Vintners' Federation of Ireland have fought hard with Guinness over the past number of months to try to avoid this increase, but the company is not listening. These decisions are made in London now and what we do here does not appear to have any influence. I do not think there will be a 15 cent increase. I can almost assure the House this will not happen, although there will be an increase.

The price of drink is very high. Publicans are suffering severely at present due to the double blow of the smoking ban——