More pub competition could offset inflation

THE Department of Finance would like to see the price of the pint fall but, sadly for pub-goers, it’s not going to happen.

In private briefing papers prepared for Tánaiste and Finance Minister Brian Cowen, the department pointed out that the one way to tackle inflation would be to strengthen competition between pubs.

This, they argue, would lead to a cheaper pint — which would be good news for consumers, especially in light of a recent study which showed Irish people are paying almost twice as much for alcohol as citizens in the rest of the EU.