The Irish Vinters’ Federation of Ireland (VFI ) has accused the Irish government of not appreciating the role Irish publicans play in business after on of the worst years on record.

In a statement released by the Federation they said “the future is bleak” for Irish pubs. The revealed that trade is down by 34 percent in the past five years.

The VFI revealed that 20 percent of its members were in crisis and 800 pubs in serious financial trouble.

They added that their 54,000 employees in the sector were living under “a dark cloud”.

The VFI said “That is 4,800 jobs at risk; 4,800 new signatures on the live register. Because they will be in twos and threes nobody seems to take notice or indeed care. It is also 800 family businesses facing a terribly uncertain future. Maybe it will take such an announcement from our membership in 2013 for the suits in Leinster House and  elsewhere to take note.”

Their statement also criticized the government attitude towards suppliers and vendors as part of the business. They also citizen the recent budget which was an increase in excise.

They said “This year just gone saw our government put further pressure on an industry already on its knees with a massive increase in excise. It saw some major suppliers increasing prices in an untimely and unwelcome manner and finally we saw no leadership from local government with regard to local charges and rates.”