Cheap pints and tales of political intrigue recipe for success at Dail bar

Cheap pints and tales of political intrigue proved to be the recipe for success at the Dáil bar last year, as revenues and profits rose.

Annual accounts for the bar released by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service show profits increased 5 per cent from €138,600 to €145,623 in the 12 months to the end of December last. Revenues increased marginally from €299,913 to €300,252.

Of course, the healthy profits of recent years at the Dail bar may be put at risk if the electorate decides to axe a sizeable portion of the bar's customer base – the 60 senators that currently occupy seats in the Seanad.

The Dáil bar beats local competition on price for its alcohol – customers can avail of Guinness costing €4.30 a pint, and Heineken for €4.70 compared to an average €4.80 and €5.20The annual accounts show sales at the Dail restaurant were €919,353 last year,– down slightly in the sales of €928,243 recorded in 2011. The profit from the restaurant last year totalled €152,332 compared to €122,669 in 2011. The bar recorded a gross profit margin of 56 per cent compared to 39 per cent at the restaurant.

The combined profit from the bar and restaurant totalled €297,946 compared to €261,269 in 2011 - an increase of 14 per cent.

The restaurant operation last year cut back on its sundry expenses that included a cut in spending on its newspapers going from €5,017 to €4,635. However, the spend on flowers more than doubled from €1,738 in 2011 to €4,036 last year

However, the figures show that the bar and restaurant repaid €220,000 to the Department of Finance leaving accumulated profits standing at €318,962.

Facilities Manager at the Houses of the Oireachtas Service, Noel Murphy pointed out that the bar and restaurant provide a service to the members, member’s staff and staff of the House of the Oireachtas Service which amounts to approximately 1,200 people.

“The restaurant, self service restaurant, coffee dock and visitor’s bar would also be accessible to a large number of visitors to Leinster House which in any given year amounts to approximately 100,000 people.

“This includes school visits, community groups, civil servants, incoming delegations from home and abroad and those attending committee meetings.”