Publicans claim price of pint survey is misleading

A SURVEY which shows the price of a pint in Dublin is the highest in Europe is misleading, pub owners claimed yesterday.

Chief executive of the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) Frank Fell admitted to being staggered by the European survey, which pointed to drink prices significantly contributing to Dublin's rank as the 38th most expensive city in the world.

"There's no comparison between Dublin and the high prices in Paris and London," said Mr Fell.

"We pay the highest excise duties in Europe at 47.1 cent in the euro and yet we still trail Paris prices where only five cent in the euro goes to the exchequer.

"If Ireland was not such a high alcohol-taxation country, Dublin prices would be much lower," he said.

"It's hard to believe some of the findings in some surveys. Euro comparison would show our prices are in line with most European cities."

But the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an independent organisation attached to The Economist newspaper, claimed the average price of a pint in Dublin was more than twice the price paid in Lisbon, Frankfurt or Madrid. Drinkers pay three times more for a pint in Dublin than in Rome, it said.

The Consumer Association of Ireland has warned that Dublin is at risk of pricing itself out of the tourism market.

"Not only are the Irish people aware of, and complaining about, rapidly increasing prices but so are our EU member neighbours and other international visitors," said the consumer association's chief executive Dermott Jewell.

The EIU's worldwide cost-of-living survey discovered a packet of cigarettes in Dublin was also dearer than any other city.

Cigarettes were more than double the prices paid in Luxembourg, Madrid or Budapest.

"The Government needs to take strong action to bring about downward pressure on general consumer prices," Mr Jewell said.

The latest survey, which endorses recent EU concerns about Irish prices, shows the cost of living was continuing to increase faster than almost all other industrialised nations.

Mr Jewell noted: "The surveys are painting a bleak picture of a very realistic situation in Dublin.

"The high cost of living prices are proving to be very counterproductive for the tourism industry, in particular.

"Every one of these surveys reinforce one thing we have lost control on price levels within our capital city."

The EIU survey and the recent Eurostat figures, provided through the EU, both underline dramatic increases in prices within the hospitality industry such as hotel accommodation and restaurants.

The good news from the EIU survey showed Dublin was reasonably inexpensive compared to New York, London or Geneva if people didn't drink or smoke.