Black stuff fails to raise spirits in Dáil bar
Figures from the Houses of the Oireachtas Service show the sales of Guinness at the Dáil bar dropped from 120 kegs to 98 kegs.
There are about 90 pints in a keg, so around 8,820 pints of Guinness were sold at the Dáil bar last year — down from the 10,800 sold in 2011 — a drop of 18.3%.
The figures released in response to a Freedom of Information request also show sales of Heineken dropped from 55 kegs or 4,950 pints to 44 kegs or 3,960 pints — down 20%.
The decline in sales coincided with a reduction in staff, from seven to six, while numbers employed in the Oireachtas restaurant dipped from 38 to 35.
The cut-price drink available at the Dáil bar, however, was not sufficient to prevent the decline.
A pint of Guinness costs €4.30 and a pint of Heineken is €4.70, each 50c cheaper than in Dublin city centre pubs.
The Dáil bar recorded a net profit of €138,600 in 2011 from sales of €299,913, although figures for 2012 have yet to be completed.
Fianna Fáil TD and occasional Dáil bar patron Timmy Dooley said the decline could be explained by the increased demand for alcohol from newly elected TDs’ supporters in the aftermath of the 2011 general election.
“After any new Dáil is elected, it wouldn’t be unusual for the Dáil bar to have higher demands on the bar between supporters and family members of new TDs.”
Mr Dooley believes the poor state of the economy is also a factor in the decreased demand for drink at the bar.
He said: “Wednesday nights would be the busiest night of the week there.”
Mr Dooley said he would go to the Dáil bar during the morning time for a scone and a cup of tea and a bowl of soup at lunch.
“I would go there the odd time for a pint,” he added.
A spokeswoman for the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas said yesterday: “It is a myth that you can only get alcoholic drink at the Dáil bar.
“It does a lot of business in scones, coffees, and teas along with soup and sandwiches. It is used café style and is more of a tea and coffee facility for the members.”
