Sobering Up

You would think that the poor economy and rising unemployment would drive people to drink. But pubs in Ireland are facing a sobering reality to go with their empty bar stools.

A report published earlier this week found that Ireland’s per capita alcohol consumption fell by 9.6% last year and is now 21% below their all time peak. Kieran Tobin, Chairman of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland says pubs have been closing at the rate of around one a day and 15,000 jobs have been lost in the last 18 months. And people don’t seem to be knocking back a few anytime soon.

The report by Anthony Foley of the Dublin University School for Business found that consumption prospects remained very weak for 2010. Foley says the decline could fall another 5% but a solution could depend on the pub’s asking price. Foley says much of last year’s problem were people crossing the border to buy cheaper drinks. Foley says the alcohol fueled migration cost the Irish government $135,000,000. And that’s one bar tab the Irish wouldn’t mind picking up.