TOPIC:

I would be happy with that in the main, BeerNut. Would it be worthwhile adding that we support the reduced excise on "craft breweries/microbreweries" as per Minister Cowan? Just in case they might suggest changing it back to the way it used to be. If that were to happen, it might be the death knell for several breweries.

John

Good point, John. I've added a bit to the third paragraph.

That looks good. As well as submitting this, and adding it to the site, should there be a press release?

As an aside, I know the idea of forming a formal group has been mentioned, and it seems to me in preparing a statement like that to come from a group of like-minded people (that all agree on the content of the statement) is almost forming a group, with a 'mission statement', by proxy.

Well, I'm assuming that it will be published at least in the Group's report, if not on their web site as well, if and when they have one.

Doing a press release brings up the question of who is personally responsible for this, as their contact details will need to go on it. If it's just a submission for the Group, I would suggest that this should be signed by Séan on behalf of ICB, and include his ICB e-mail address. If we turn it into a press release, it'll need a phone number as well, with a real live human prepared to take calls. However, I wouldn't be at all confident about standing over this as a press release right now.

I do believe that a mission statement, or launch document, for a formal group (namewise, at the moment I'm favouring Q-BIC: the Quality Beer in Ireland Campaign) might look something like this. But I think there'd need to be a lot of background work done before such a group can go public.

Well yes, I agree with all that. If it's a submission from the site, then fair enough. I don't know if we're ready for a formal group yet, but releasing a statement like this may speed up the formation of such a group (which may or may not be a good thing).

"noby":36hl3mxj wrote: (which may or may not be a good thing)[/quote:36hl3mxj]Definitely not a good thing from Diageo's point of view.

[i:36hl3mxj]We're coming to get you. Mwuh ha ha ha ha haa...[/i:36hl3mxj]