The head of Galway’s representative body for publicans has underlined the declining state of their industry by pointing to his own home village.

Galway Vintners Federation of Ireland Chair, Cllr Joe Sheridan, said that Dunmore once had more than 20 pubs – and now there are ‘four and a half’.

“And I’m the half,” he said.

That’s because he can only afford to open at weekends because it is not worth his while for the rest of the week.

The Galway County Councillor and publican has been vocal about what he believes is the unfair manner in which publicans are being treated by the state.

Cllr Sheridan said that Government policy on alcohol was crippling rural pubs and pushing them towards a cliff edge – with the imminent return of VAT rates to 13.5 per cent.

He cited Dunmore as a typical example of the decline in the trade.

“Over the past 20 years we have gone from 21 public houses to four and a half. And I am the half,” he stated.

“The State has us being overtaxed and over-excised. We are genuine publicans paying rates and bills; honest businesspeople who have nothing to hide and will not hide anything.

“But once they are gone there is no way back for any of them – and that will impact on rural communities.

“That is why we have to protect small rural businesses. They are vital for the vibrancy of rural communities,” he added.

 Pictured: Publican and councillor Joe Sheridan from Dunmore.