I take grave exception to Financial Resolution No. 7 and I take this opporunity of protesting in the strongest possible language against any increase in the price of beer. I do this as one who never drinks beer and as one who has no intention of ever drinking beer. I do so as a strict teetotaller.
The only luxury that remains to the old age pensioner, to the agricultural labourer and the ordinary worker up and down the country is his pint of beer at the end of his day's work or at the end of the week. I can remember in 1947 when the Fianna Fáil Government imposed a tax on beer every worker protested in no uncertain way against that increase; his pint is practically the only pleasure left to the old age pensioner. It is the worker's only luxury. An attempt was made in 1947 to deprive these people of their pint of beer. A change of Government came and the inter-Party Government gave fresh hope to the aged and to the worker when they made the pint of beer available to them at a reasonable cost. The inter-Party Government gave the workers of Dublin a cheap pint to lubricate their throats so that they could shout "Up Dev." and put us out.
It has been truly said that it is difficult to cure an old dog of his trot. The Taoiseach believes that he is never wrong. The Taoiseach believes that everything he says is right: the whole world is wrong bar the Taoiseach and his Ministers. To-day he is justifying the fact that in 1947 he increased the price of the pint. To-day is his revenge on the inter-Party Government; he is putting back the 1947 increase. He is sticking out his tongue and saying: "Now, we will make you pay for it." That is what is happening to-day.
The workers in my constituency—in Boora, in Tullamore, in Portlaoise and in Portarlington—must now realise that my two colleagues in that constituency, Deputy Maher and Deputy Boland, are now making them pay 3d. more for their pint. Every pint that is drunk in Laois-Offaly will in future cost 3d. more.
Every publican in Tullamore, Mountmellick, Portarlington, Edenderry and in the two village public-houses in Ballycumber will be able to charge 3d. more for every pint sold across the counter, thanks to the Taoiseach, thanks to the present Government, and thanks to the Fianna Fáil Deputies representing that constituency. Everyone, be he labourer, old age pensioner, farm worker, drainage worker or bog worker now will find when he goes to Boora or Clonsast that he will have to pay more for his pint. Has there not been enough harm and destruction, without depriving these men of the privilege of a cheap pint to quench their thirst? That is the most serious feature that I find in this Budget.
Again, in the constituency I represent there are quite a number of maltsters. The Minister for Finance is aware that one of the oldest industries in this country is the brewing industry. I say that the Minister to-night is sounding the last post for the brewing industry, one of the oldest industries in this country. I can prophesy unemployment in the brewing industry. I can see maltings such as we have in the midlands closing down. I can see other concerns connected with the brewing industry facing ruin and disaster.
