The price of Diageo drinks is set to rise.

The company has confirmed it has recently written to all its customers - including publicans, wholesalers and retailers - to advise them of changes to their price list for beers.

This includes an increase in draught beer of 4c per pint, excluding VAT, to publicans and a similar increase for packaged beer to retailers

The firm says this is due to the "rising costs in doing business in Ireland".

Diageo says: "This increase is in line with current inflation trends and it is necessary to ensure we can continue to make significant investments in our business and in the wider hospitality sector."

The move is likely to impact Guinness, Smithwicks, Hop House, Carlsberg and Budweiser both in pubs and through the off licence trade.

They announced a similar increase last year, the first in five years.

The 4c increase comes before VAT, which could see 5c added to the price of a pint.

The increases are set to come into effect from July 2nd.

Additional reporting: Vincent Wall