Off licence owners are hitting out at the cost of wine in Ireland.

It has been claimed today that the drink carries 624% more excise in this country than in our European neighbours

In a pre-budget submission, the National Off Licence Assocation is demanding the Government cut the rate to support small businesses.

Their chairperson, Evelyn Jones, claims the level of excise ends up affecting the quality of cheaper wine here.

She said: "All of the cost of the bottle has been chewed up by excise and VAT, leaving very little for the raw material. In other words, over 54% of a €9 bottle of wine is tax and VAT.

"So how is a winemaker of any calibre supposed to make a decent bottle of wine?

"What we are left with is industrial quality boring, cheap alcohol."