IRISH PEOPLE PAY more for alcohol than any other country in the European Union, new statistics show.
The data, released by European statistics office Eurostat, show that Irish prices are some 78 points higher than the EU average.
The price we pay for hotels and restaurants is also among the highest in the bloc, only coming in behind Denmark and Sweden, in joint third with Finland.
Overall, the new data show that Ireland is the fifth most expensive country in the 28 nation union. The cheapest economy to live in was Bulgaria, with the overall cost of living less than half the cost of the EU average.
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Drinks industry hits out
Commenting on the data, the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland called for the reversal of excise duty on alcohol.
Pointing to excise duties on beer, spirits and wine of between 37% and 62%, DIGI chair Peter O’Brien said:
“Excise is a tax on jobs, it is a tax on tourism and it is a tax on hard-pressed Irish consumers. Tax increases have damaged Ireland’s reputation as a destination for drinks related capital investment, tourists have identified the high price of alcohol as the second biggest disincentive to visit Ireland (after the weather).”
DIGI pointed to recent research by DCU economist Tony Foley showing that the drinks industry employs 92,000 people in Ireland, and purchases €1.1 billion worth of Irish inputs.
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