Sir, - So Mr McCreevy is annoyed with the publicans for ripping us off (The Irish Times, June 13th). He is quoted as saying that he cannot understand why drink prices continue to rise despite the reduction in tax take. Does "greed" ring a bell?
He threatens them with an increase in pub licenses or possibly price control. While more licences will give the punter more choice, they will do little or nothing about the exorbitant price of drink. How does he propose to stop existing publicans from buying the new outlets? How does he propose stopping totally new publicans from joining the two trade associations, the LVA and the VFI? These look after the concerns and interests of publicans in Dublin and the rest of the country.
Is it conceivable that prices are not discussed at the meetings of these august bodies? Are we to believe that prices in a particular area are only fractionally different by chance? I would dearly like to know what percentage of publicans are not members of either trade association.
Yes, noises will be made in the Dail about the licensed trade but little will be done because of the stranglehold it appears to have on TDs.
Mr McCreevy reminds me of the lion in the Wizard of Oz. He hopes his mild outburst will have the desired effect. What we need is an unmuzzled rottweiler who won't be afraid to show his teeth and mean it. But don't look to Mr O'Donoghue either, who laboured long to bring forth a mouse on pub hours. - Yours, etc.,
Brendan M. Redmond, Hazelbrook Road, Terenure, Dublin 6w.