‘Don’t hike booze in budget’

The drinks industry has urged the Government not to increase excise on alcohol in the next budget as it could threaten a sector that has huge growth potential in the future.

“This is an exciting sector that’s going through considerable development, with dozens of drinks manufacturers setting up shop across the country, including 21 whiskey distilleries in various stages of planning at the moment.

“This is leading the way for an Irish whiskey renaissance and a potential boost to the €1.4bn export figure cited in the latest data,” said Tom Burke, senior executive at the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland.