Speaking today (30 November) about the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland (VFI) and Licenced Vintner’s Associations (VFA) call to put a 15 per cent tax on off-licence alcohol sales, Evelyn Jones, Chairperson of NOffLA said, “NOffLA is strongly opposed to any additional taxes being imposed on the independent off-licence sector and this includes the publicans pre-budget proposal issued today. This move would put the independent off-licence sector, which is already a fragile and vulnerable sector out of business overnight. There is absolutely no way that the independent sector could sustain this tax.

“There has been a significant shift in alcohol sales to the off-trade but this has not been to the benefit of the independent off-licence sector. In four years, we have lost almost 3,000 jobs in this sector and witnessed 75 business closures. We expect over twenty more to close next year. This sector, which works tirelessly to promote the responsible retail of alcohol is becoming a dying breed and this tax would certainly speed up the process next year.

“In NOffLA’s pre-budget submission, our association called for retention of the current level of alcohol excise duty, a scaling of off-trade licencing fees based on turnover and an introduction of a ban on below cost selling,” said Jones.