An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-23
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Mike Kennelly (FG), Labour Panel

On his first day on duty as the Leader of the Seanad, I too congratulate Senator Ahearn on his promotion. It is also a very proud day for his family who are here today including his father, brothers Liam and Scott, Laura, and Jamie and Daniel, who are the sparkle of this guy's eyes when they are not here. We are delighted to have them here as distinguished guests.
I ask the Government to recognise the vital role that wet bars and traditional pubs play in communities across Ireland and to provide meaningful support to help them survive. For many people, especially in rural Ireland, the local pub is far more than a business. It is the heart of the community. It is where families and neighbours come together to celebrate life's milestones and to support one another through difficult times from christenings, confirmations, 21st birthdays, engagements, the afters of weddings, anniversaries and even gatherings following funerals. As the famous song goes, it is like from the cradle to the grave. It is woven into the fabric of family and community life.
I attended the audiovisual room last week where the Vintners Federation of Ireland attended to seek support. I have never seen such a large crowd of TDs and Senators. They came in to hear their stories and to support them.
These pubs are under enormous pressure. More than 2,200 pubs have closed across Ireland since 2005, and closures continue at an alarming rate. Every pub that closes not only represents a lost business but also a lost meeting place, a lost employer and a lost community asset. Publicans are facing unsustainable cost increases. Electricity costs have risen by around 70%, wages by 40% and water charges have increased significantly. While recent VAT measures have helped the establishments serving food, they offer little or no benefit to the majority of small, rural wet pubs that do not serve hot food.
The proposed on-trade sustainability scheme will work by giving pubs financial support based on the number of draft products they purchase from suppliers each year. The support will come in the form of a tax credit, thereby helping publicans offset rising costs such as electricity, wages and utilities. For example, if a small, rural pub incurred significant supply costs throughout the year, it could qualify for a tax credit worth a few euro. This credit could then be used to reduce its tax bill or, if the pub had little or no tax liability, be paid directly as a cash support, and it is support we are looking for. The scheme would be capped at €20,000 per annum per pub to ensure that support is targeted at small and medium-sized family run pubs.
The Government already recognises the importance of supporting sectors that contribute to our economy and culture and our pubs deserve the same recognition. If we value vibrant villages, like we say we do every day in here, thriving towns, rural tourism, local employment and social connection, then we must value and protect our local pubs.
Once a pub closes, it is often gone forever and a community loses a piece of its identity. I call on the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to visit the Seanad to debate these proposals.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-23