E2.50 pints should be outlawed, says FG TD

Muahahaha

Akrasia wrote: »

Here's a link to their menu in Three Tun Tavern FYI in case it's not been posted before
http://www.jdwetherspoon.ie/pdf/ThreeTunTavernDec14.pdf

drink and food prices are very competitive

Just had a look through that, they really are fantastic value. You can get the roast of the day with veg and mash for €9.75 and that includes an pint of beer or glass of wine. A vodka is €3.95 and comes with a free mixer, if you want a double vodka and coke then its €5.95 with the coke being free. I'm thinking a double vodka and coke would set you back around €11 in most Dublin pubs so to deliver it for under €6 is a real eye opener for Irish pub goers.

Cienciano

But it really sums up the irish politics way of doing things. Increase the price is the answer to everything. Our alcohol consumption is dropping? Not good enough, increase the price or get rid of the cheap stuff.

Not surprising from the vintners federations/associations (assuming it's them lobbying MMOC). Remember when inflation actually fell for the first time in about 15 years at the start of the recession and they announced a price freeze, trying to pretend they were doing us all a favour

Loire

I'd be willing to guess that pubs close to a Weatherspoons will start offering some specials* on their busy nights, at something like 3.50 - 4.00 a pint to keep their customers.

* this will be something cheap & nasty that no one will order but give the pub the appearance of being good value.

Dog of Tears

Considering you can buy a litre of (admittedly ****ty) wine in a carton for around 1€ in Spain, it’s surprising that alcoholism and public health aren’t on their knees there.

This the usual Irish bolloxology to an issue –
Problem: small sub-section of society abuse alcohol.
Solution: Increase price of alcohol for everyone.

Then the Govt. can give themselves a nice pat on the back despite not doing anything fundamental to address the underlying issues of alcohol misuse in this country.
As an added bonus all their friends in the Vintners association are delighted with them.

Muahahaha

keeponhurling wrote: »

For example this Fine Gael TD, it wouldn't matter if Wetherspoons were selling pints for 10c on every street, I suspect she'd still be getting her drinks in the Shelbourne and the Dáil bar.

Or getting her free champers at the Sindo Christmas Party whilst announcing the end of austerity and the return of 'The Good Life'. I find it hard to believe any TD on a basic salary of €94k has truly felt austerity in the way the majority of the population have but she seems keen on rubbing peoples noses in it nonetheless.
http://www.thejournal.ie/life-magazine-good-times-cover-1834824-Dec2014/

keeponhurling wrote: »

There's actuaslly huge potential for expansion for Wehterspoons in Ireland.

They're focussing on Dublin and Cork, but they would do well in the towns as well, the likes of Ennis, Navan, Castlebar etc.

Highflyer13 wrote: »

They would do well in every town across Ireland. The more I think of it, I can see why the Vintners are so worried. F**k em, it will be their own undoing.

Yeah for sure, any town above 15k people has to be a target now for them. They said last week their expansion plans are for between 30 and 50 pubs in the next five years. Also another major UK pub chain Greene King were obviously sitting on the fence watching now JDW got on. They hopped down off the fence yesterday and made an annoucement stating they intend entering the Irish market. More good news for competition.

Cienciano wrote: »

But it really sums up the irish politics way of doing things. Increase the price is the answer to everything. Our alcohol consumption is dropping? Not good enough, increase the price or get rid of the cheap stuff.

Not surprising from the vintners federations/associations (assuming it's them lobbying MMOC). Remember when inflation actually fell for the first time in about 15 years at the start of the recession and they announced a price freeze, trying to pretend they were doing us all a favour

Seems to be endemic in Irish society. Passanger numbers were down a fair bit on Dublin Bus so rather than lower the price to try to attract more passengers they upped the price year after year throughout the last four years, making most journeys around 30% more expensive in a time of deflation and wage stagnation. The VHI and other health insurers were almost criminal in their price hikes during the recession, I think most of them hiked premiums by almost 50% in the space of a few short years. You couldn't make this stuff up.

Geuze

https://twitter.com/ThreeTunTavern/status/535904262770135041/photo/1

Highflyer13

Cienciano wrote: »

But it really sums up the irish politics way of doing things. Increase the price is the answer to everything. Our alcohol consumption is dropping? Not good enough, increase the price or get rid of the cheap stuff.

Not surprising from the vintners federations/associations (assuming it's them lobbying MMOC). Remember when inflation actually fell for the first time in about 15 years at the start of the recession and they announced a price freeze, trying to pretend they were doing us all a favour

Same as public transport costs. They have increased every year for the last few years despite falling passenger numbers. Now I know subvention has been reduced to CIE but they have implemented their own cost cutting measures like cuts to services and halfing the number of carriages on trains turning them into sardine cans being two examples. Its the Irish way. The answer to reduced consumption is to increase prices to make up the shortfall. Economics 101 right there:pac:

Grayson

VinLieger wrote: »

Miss piggy is bombarding twitter with alcohol related stats and figures, of which absolutely zero would be impacted or fixed by minimum pricing

https://twitter.com/mitchelloconnor

I'd love to see her get ripped apart in a debate.

Highflyer13

Ive read two articles today that have been a source of great distress to me.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/exclusive-a-30yearold-hse-worker-describes-horrific-and-demoralising-experience-during-ninehour-wait-in-filthy-dublin-ae-30885959.html

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/record-high-of-601-patients-on-trolleys-as-crisis-grips-aes-30884885.html

Our health system lies in tatters while our Govt take no action. They have more serious issues such to be dealing with such as outlawing cheap drink. I am sick of this FG/Lab shower of clowns.

flanzer

Who runs the Dáil bar? I assume it's not public servants working behind it and it's tendered out? I wonder would Wetherspoons consider tendering for it??

Cantona's Collars

Cienciano wrote: »

But it really sums up the irish politics way of doing things. Increase the price is the answer to everything. Our alcohol consumption is dropping? Not good enough, increase the price or get rid of the cheap stuff.

Nail on the head right there,it's the only industry who's solution to falling sales is to raise prices then moan when people go elsewhere.

Menas

zerks wrote: »

Nail on the head right there,it's the only industry who's solution to falling sales is to raise prices then moan when people go elsewhere.

An Irish solutions to an Irish problem.

Highflyer13

flanzer wrote: »

Who runs the Dáil bar? I assume it's not public servants working behind it and it's tendered out? I wonder would Wetherspoons consider tendering for it??

Im sure our T.Ds would be delighted with it but you would still find them and their buddies moaning about the plebs on the street and their alcoholism due to cheap drink.

Idbatterim

I think he means that Heineken are charging the publican 2.27 per pint in a keg but you can pick up a 500ml can of Heineken in Tesco for about 1.50

My local supervalu are doing 24 Heineken for €28 = €1.16 a can and I highly doubt that is below cost...

I voted FG last time round, but this is the nail in the coffin for me, if the likes of what this moron comes out with is representative of FG as a whole, I am done with them...

Ridiculous cost of living here and ridiculous marginal rates of tax, lowering the cost of living would give us all breathing space and they are still fighting tooth and nail against it, to protect a few of their own and mates, its beyond pathetic! They are digging their own hole...

end of the road

Muahahaha wrote: »

Passanger numbers were down a fair bit on Dublin Bus so rather than lower the price to try to attract more passengers they upped the price year after year throughout the last four years, making most journeys around 30% more expensive in a time of deflation and wage stagnation.

you forgot to mention of course the huge cuts in subsidy. how can they lower the prices. i believe they should have faught harder to keep a good level of subsidy and not raised prices, but if the government won't pay then the passenger has to. they don't want to pay as much so who will? and just incase you mention privatization and its ilk, it wouldn't make a difference. infact we'd pay more in both fares and subsidy.

Menas

Flex wrote: »

Having heard her on the radio I had to email her, and then the Fine Gael TD in my constituency telling them Ive defended Fine Gael a great deal, but am fed up now.

I mailed her too and copied my local FG Td.
My local TD responded to say that she does not know what is in the Public health (alcohol) bill yet, but she would be very 'cautious' about price controls in the market.
My local TD also pointed out that she has spoken in the past to point out that other countries with low prices have no greater addition levels than Ireland so there is no demonstrable link.

Hopefully it is the voice of reason that prevails here and Mary be gagged.

yipeeeee

So we have the second highest prices on alcohol in Europe, yet this clown thinks increasing the price again will work.

These people aren't really wise to the ways of the world are they.

rubadub

Loire wrote: »

I'd be willing to guess that pubs close to a Weatherspoons will start offering some specials* on their busy nights, at something like 3.50 - 4.00 a pint to keep their customers.

* this will be something cheap & nasty that no one will order but give the pub the appearance of being good value.

Yep, the run of the mill pubs often have a "cheap & nasty" alongside their "expensive & just as nasty" selections. Many would not be able to tell them apart in a blind tasting session after 1 or 2 of them.

It's weird how heineken object to their cheaply produced muck being sold in pubs at a low price, but have no problem with offies doing it. A centra near me often had 20x330ml bottles for €15. There is no way a centra is employing the below cost selling practise, nobody I saw buying the boxes were doing a weekly shop. I have also never seen evidience of major supermarkets doing below cost selling of mainstream beers either, though the lying publicans would like you to believe it.

I presume it is heineken selling to centra and major supermarkets at a much lowered wholesale price when these offers are on.

-I do drink any auld shite on offer to be honest, which includes heineken, it's as piss poor quality as the rest of the €1 session fizzy yellow piss beers. In pubs I will try some better beers as the price difference is not as great, in offies I find the difference in price not really worth it.

Cienciano

rubadub wrote: »

I do drink any auld shite on offer to be honest, which includes heineken, it's as piss poor quality as the rest of the €1 session fizzy yellow piss beers. In pubs I will try some better beers as the price difference is not as great, in offies I find the difference in price not really worth it.

Another problem about vintners pubs (the bog standard irish pub, I know there is craft beer pubs popping up now) is the choice. I don't go out much any mre, but when I do I like the choice of a decent beer. Something different. If I'm having 6 pints I don't mind paying a euro extra a pint for something I enjoy. But the pubs never offered any choice. Bud, Carlsberg, Heineken, Guinness, Smithwicks, Bulmers. Then take your pick between Fosters/Bavaria/Coors/Miller. It was the same shíte the lenght of the country. If you wanted a bottle of anything Belgian that wasn't Stella you could píss off, you're lucky they even have Stella.
Another plus point for JDW, at least the change it around a bit, have cask ales.

malibu4u

The more competition the better in the pub trade. There is open competition is other retail businesses. 2.50 a pint - yeah, I like it. It would encourage people to drink out again, instead of drinking at home.

LordNorbury

Cienciano wrote: »

But it really sums up the irish politics way of doing things. Increase the price is the answer to everything. Our alcohol consumption is dropping? Not good enough, increase the price or get rid of the cheap stuff.

Not surprising from the vintners federations/associations (assuming it's them lobbying MMOC). Remember when inflation actually fell for the first time in about 15 years at the start of the recession and they announced a price freeze, trying to pretend they were doing us all a favour

This is it, bring in water charges, that'll teach em to use less water, when there is no evidence of people abusing their supply of water in this country. Bring in minimum pricing for alcohol, when there is no evidence whatsoever that putting minimum pricing in place will do anything at all to dissuade people who abuse alcohol.

This government of bástarding prícks, their answer to everything is to tax, levy and charge the last cent out of people, it's time people took off the gloves now and stood up to them and don't let one more sneaky underhand charge, levy, tax increase or any other sleveen method of taking money off people be brought in, just because they can't reform the place as they said that they would and stand up to vested interests that are still running the country, so the solution is to continue taxing and levying the absolute shít out of people and bleeding them dry.

Grayson

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Ive read two articles today that have been a source of great distress to me.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/exclusive-a-30yearold-hse-worker-describes-horrific-and-demoralising-experience-during-ninehour-wait-in-filthy-dublin-ae-30885959.html

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/record-high-of-601-patients-on-trolleys-as-crisis-grips-aes-30884885.html

Our health system lies in tatters while our Govt take no action. They have more serious issues such to be dealing with such as outlawing cheap drink. I am sick of this FG/Lab shower of clowns.

Like FF would be any better. 1/3 of FF backbenchers are publicans. Hence the reason the cafe bar licencing was dropped. As bad as FG/Lab are, FF are worse.

LordNorbury

Grayson wrote: »

Like FF would be any better. 1/3 of FF backbenchers are publicans. Hence the reason the cafe bar licencing was dropped. As bad as FG/Lab are, FF are worse.

I remember when Michael Mc Dowell was Justice Minister this happened and he had to back down, I don't think the same thing would be tolerated today, people and not taking that kind of crap these days.

hatrickpatrick

rubadub wrote: »

Yep, the run of the mill pubs often have a "cheap & nasty" alongside their "expensive & just as nasty" selections. Many would not be able to tell them apart in a blind tasting session after 1 or 2 of them.

I used to regularly go to and sometimes promote a weekly night in the village a year or two ago, and their cheap special offering was €3 a pint of Tuborg (on a Saturday night at that time, a €3 pint in a big club was unheard of in Dublin). In all honesty, in terms of both taste and strength I could never see a huge difference between it and the Heineken they sold at a normal pub price. The truth about lagers in pubs as far as I'm concerned, is that if they're chilled to a cold enough level, they all pretty much taste the same. You start to notice the difference in quality if you let them get either tepid or flat, at which point the "ordinary" beers like Heino and Carlsberg are still alright, but the "cheapo" alternatives like say Tuborg or Stella become a little nastier. So in other words, if you're buying a cold pint and drinking it relatively quickly, in my opinion one lager isn't going to taste a million miles different to another.

AndonHandon

If minimum pricing legislation is brought in to affect pubs and not just supermarkets then there will be absolute outrage among the public. It would be brought in under the guise of 'tackling binge drinking' but, understandably, the public will be cynical about this due to the history of the government cosying up to the publican cartel and the coincidence between the legislation and Wetherspoons entering the market. I voted FG in the last election and am still with them but if this comes in I will be going independent in the next election.

WinnyThePoo

Highflyer13 wrote: »

Same as public transport costs. They have increased every year for the last few years despite falling passenger numbers. Now I know subvention has been reduced to CIE but they have implemented their own cost cutting measures like cuts to services and halfing the number of carriages on trains turning them into sardine cans being two examples. Its the Irish way. The answer to reduced consumption is to increase prices to make up the shortfall. Economics 101 right there:pac:

Prices on the dart and Dublin bus has just went up year on year. When I was a student I could get a bus/train monthly ticket for 78 euro(which is good value) and that was in my first year. 4 years later when i was leaving the price of the monthly ticket was up at 106 euro.

The bus to work I take to work cost 3.05 before Christmas one way and now has went up to 3.30.

LordNorbury

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

Prices on the dart and Dublin bus has just went up year on year. When I was a student I could get a bus/train monthly ticket for 78 euro(which is good value) and that was in my first year. 4 years later when i was leaving the price of the monthly ticket was up at 106 euro.

The bus to work I take to work cost 3.05 before Christmas one way and now has went up to 3.30.

What do Irish pubs, Bus Eireann and Irish Rail have in common??? They all have lobby groups pushing their selfish interests for them, publicans have not one but two strong vintners associations, (one for Dublin city and one for everywhere else), and Dublin Bus and Irish rail have strong unions. Where you have these guys, the public will always be screwed, same in the Irish public sector, you had until recently, automatic increments and basically you have a protectionist regime that looks out for number one and the customer and his/her concerns are not even on the list of concerns, let alone very far down on the list.

That is how this country is run, you have insiders and you have outsiders, insiders have a place at partnership/government decision making level and have lobby groups who obstruct change and ensure that the ultimate total costs of inefficiency get loaded onto the general public by way of increases in the cost of products and services. At least with pubs you can choose not to frequent them, and now that enough people have made that choice for themselves, you have the vested interests trying to make it too expensive to stay at home and have a drink!

Highflyer13

LordNorbury wrote: »

What do Irish pubs, Bus Eireann and Irish Rail have in common??? They all have lobby groups pushing their selfish interests for them, publicans have not one but two strong vintners associations, (one for Dublin city and one for everywhere else), and Dublin Bus and Irish rail have strong unions. Where you have these guys, the public will always be screwed, same in the Irish public sector, you had until recently, automatic increments and basically you have a protectionist regime that looks out for number one and the customer and his/her concerns are not even on the list of concerns, let alone very far down on the list.

That is how this country is run, you have insiders and you have outsiders, insiders have a place at partnership/government decision making level and have lobby groups who obstruct change and ensure that the ultimate total costs of inefficiency get loaded onto the general public by way of increases in the cost of products and services. At least with pubs you can choose not to frequent them, and now that enough people have made that choice for themselves, you have the vested interests trying to make it too expensive to stay at home and have a drink!

HSE too. They cant fire some of the useless wasters clogging up the place which is what's needed in order to spend the money money more wisely.

i8mancs

Teachers of Ireland please do us all a favour and stay the fcuk away from politics you useless shower of c###s

end of the road

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

Prices on the dart and Dublin bus has just went up year on year. When I was a student I could get a bus/train monthly ticket for 78 euro(which is good value) and that was in my first year. 4 years later when i was leaving the price of the monthly ticket was up at 106 euro.

The bus to work I take to work cost 3.05 before Christmas one way and now has went up to 3.30.

why not get a leapcard or is your bus not covered under it?