Licensed Vintners Association

Lobbying Organisation Licensed Vintners Association

Date published 20 Jan, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Finance

Period 1 Sep, 2025 to 31 Dec, 2025

Specific Details 9% VAT rate on food, 10% cut in alcohol excise

Intended results Reintroduction of VAT 9% on Food

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Donall O'Keeffe, CEO

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (1)

Meeting held in Leinster House - Highlighting the ongoing pressures on the licensed trade including - • Stating increase in the Minimum Wage, Pension Autoenrolment • Intense cost pressure across all headings • Ongoing declines in alcohol consumption • Rural pubs closing at a steady rate Priorities for Budget 26 are: • reinstatement of VAT 9% on food • 10% cut on alcohol excise

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Peter Burke Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)