NOffLA Chairman calls for recognition of job retention as well as job creation
NOffLA has called on the members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to support measures aimed at protecting the remaining businesses and jobs in the independent off-licence sector.
Print23 October 2013
In a presentation to the Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation yesterday, NOffLA Chairperson Evelyn Jones pointed out that “to date, no efforts have been made by government to stem business closures and job losses in this sector”.
She told the Committee that since 2008 33 independent off-licences have ceased trading and that 12 of these have closed in the last 10 months, accounting for almost 60 jobs. Only 5,300 jobs remain. Based on the current rate of closures, NOffLA expects a further 20-25 independent off-licences to cease trading in 2014.
“In the last ten months almost 60 jobs have been lost in the independent off-licence sector – 3000 in total since 2008,” she said, “These figures haven’t made the headlines yet but if we were to announce the creation of 60 jobs that would certainly make headline news. The government must recognise the benefits of job retention as well as job creation.
“A number of factors have caused these closures and job losses but the biggest causes are the disproportionally high rates of alcohol taxes and the repeal of the Groceries Order which has allowed alcohol to be sold at discounted and below cost prices.
“It is our hope that government will see the value of the Independent off-licence sector and introduce measures – such as a reintroduction of a ban on below-cost selling – that will ensure the revival and growth of the independent off-licence sector as opposed to the severe deterioration that we are seeing now,” she said.
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