The Government should not increase duty on cider selectively, or change its tax rate relative to other drinks, the Cider Industry Council has said. The council released details of a study showing that cider employs 450 people in Ireland and is twice as labour-intensive as the beer sector.

The report, carried out for the council by Fitzpatrick Associates, says cider sales in the Republic amounted to 55.2 million litres last year. The Republic has the highest per capita consumption of cider in the EU, at 10.2 litres per annum, followed by Britain, at 9 litres, it says.

The report said cider production was concentrated in Clonmel, in south Tipperary, an area with a higher than average rate of unemployment. Some 25 per cent of the apple harvest is used each year for cider. This made it particularly labour-intensive.