asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce why Irish brewed lager and beer is less expensive outside the State than within the State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beer Prices.
39.
I am not in a position to say why differences may exist in prices of Irish brewed larger and beer sold within the State and outside it. Various factors such as gravity, taxation and level of profit could affect the price of beer sold outside the State.
I have no control of, or responsibility for, any of these factors.
Has the Minister not issued specific ministerial orders regarding beer prices? He has referred to the question of specific gravity but would he not agree that the gravity of Irish beers sold abroad is higher than in the case of those sold here? Surely he should be able to ensure that the price of beer here would not be higher than the prices at which our beer is sold abroad? This situation acts to the detriment of our tourist trade.
There are a number of questions there but I can only reiterate that I have no control of, or responsibility for, the cost of beers and lagers sold outside this country.
Has the Minister any control over the costs of these commodities within the country?
Yes.
Can the Minister say whether, in relation to applications for price increases here——
The Deputy is raising a general matter on what is a specific question.
——he would find out why beers and lagers cost less in Northern Ireland where, as Deputy Lemass has said, specific gravity is not a factor in price, where the excise rates are much higher than ours and also where publicans' profits are higher than they are here? Those three factors are known to us so there must be some other reason for the price differentiation.
There was a great deal in the Deputy's supplementary which I am not prepared to accept as being true but I assure him that when applications are received for increases in the prices of drink by the NPC, or indeed when applications are received in respect of any commodities, careful comparisons are made with comparable parts of the world.
What information is available to the Minister regarding the price of this commodity in other parts of the world?
That is not in the question.
The situation is difficult to understand.