March on Dáil: Publicans claim 5,000 jobs to be lost within year

PUBLICANS descended on Leinster House to warn the Government their industry was “going down the tubes” unless efforts were made to save it.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) claim 30,000 jobs have been lost in the trade over the last five years and that, based on this trend, 5,000 jobs will go within the next year.

The federation — representing 4,500 publicans outside Dublin — is urging the Government not to increase excise duty on alcohol and to lower commercial rates they pay to local authorities.