The country's two largest publicans associations have withdrawn from a drinks industry body promoting the sensible enjoyment of alcohol.

Both the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) and the Licenced Vintners’ Association (LVA) have pulled out of the MEAS lobby group after withdrawing from its voluntary code on the promotion of alcoholic drinks.

It is understood that both groups withdrew from the code, and therefore from the lobby itself, after concerns from their members that a voluntary code of conduct on the sale of alcohol was sending customers into off-licences for cheaper produce instead of pubs.