Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Finance the revenue the Exchequer received from excise duties on beer, wines and spirits in each year from 1997 to 2008; his views on whether higher duties and VAT on these items in the State are having a negative impact on retail trade throughout the State, and on the Exchequer itself; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11043/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the revenue the Exchequer received from excise duties on beer, wine, spirits and cider in each year from 1997 to 2008 is set out in the following table. The figures provided in relation to 2008 are provisional at this juncture.

Ireland has had a long standing policy, for sound health and social reasons, of applying high excise rates to alcohol products. Consequently, Ireland has the highest excise rate on wine in the European Community, and the second highest in the case of beer and spirits. Nevertheless it should be noted that excise duty has not been increased on beer since Budget 1994, on cider since Budget 2002 and on spirits since Budget 2003. Excise duty on wine was increased in Budget 2009 by 50 cent per standard bottle, having remained unchanged since Budget 1994. The overall decline in excise yields in 2008 reflects the general slowdown in economic activity.