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Taoiseach Enda Kenny gets close to a pint at the new Guinness Brewhouse No.4. Maxwell Photography

Can't organise a Taoiseach in a brewery? Ok, Guinness can

Enda Kenny opens the biggest stout brewery in the world, but resists the temptation to have a pint.

THE BIGGEST STOUT brewery in the world is open for business as Taoiseach Enda Kenny this afternoon gave the official thumbs up to Diageo’s new ”Brewhouse no. 4″.

The Guinness owner developed the brewery over three years at a cost of €169m and at the peak of work in 2012 it was the biggest construction project in Ireland.

The new brewhouse is the fourth brewery built on the St James’s Gate site since Arthur Guinness took out a 9000-year lease on the land in 1759.

It follows Diageo’s decision earlier this year to pull production out of Waterford – shifting all the region’s operations to the upgraded St James’s Gate factory.

Diageo’s brewing supply director Paul Armstrong today said the company would this year export 1 billion pints of Guinness – 70 per of which was made onsite in Dublin.

That’s a lot of Guinness

The company, which also produces Baileys and Bushmills, exports over €1 billion in product from the brewery.

Kenny, who has previously criticised the nation’s drinking culturesaid the brewery was “helping to shape Ireland’s recovery” as he talked up the government’s plan for jobs and economic rebuilding.

BREWHOUSE NO 4 Maxwell Photography Maxwell Photography

“I’m glad to say that the country is showing signs of recovery from the economic catastrophe that befell us,” he said.

He said the government would further reform the tax and welfare systems to support jobs and employers, and make it possible for young Irish emigrants to “come back home”.

We want to do everything possible, and sometimes to attempt the impossible, to build the kind of sustainable, competitive economy that will create the quantum and the quality of jobs that we need.”

Speeches are thirsty work, did the Taoiseach have a pint at least?

Not unless he sneaked one away from the cameras, but he came pretty close.

Guinness Kenny 2 Taoiseach Enda Kenny resists the urge for a pint. Twitter / merrionstreet Twitter / merrionstreet / merrionstreet

READ: Diageo records rising worldwide sales – but European sales slide

READ: What did the Guinness family ever do for us?

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25 Comments
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    Mute Alfonzo Gonzo
    Favourite Alfonzo Gonzo
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:01 PM

    Great to see the biggest drug dealers in Ireland expanding their operation. Plenty of kids out there still not hooked on the black stuff.

    58
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    Mute Gavin Scott
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:15 PM

    Sure, it’s the wine that they want the kids to drink. Get the “sophisticated” by age 25 and the excise on them is almost exponential. Black stuff, heino, bud, all precursors

    19
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
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    Sep 10th 2014, 6:06 PM

    Alfonzo, the young people tend not to drink Guinness these days.

    19
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    Mute Silent Majority
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:01 PM

    Paddy went mad drinking, pure mad!

    48
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    Mute Stefan Epure
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    Sep 10th 2014, 6:05 PM

    Hypocrite

    23
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    Mute Ahippo
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    Sep 10th 2014, 7:38 PM

    Thought it was interesting how the Guinness rep on RTE this morning talked about how much this extension was worth in terms of pounds sterling sales globally supported by a pounds sterling contribution from Ballyackley. If ever proof were needed of Guinness being a good English company that was it.

    34
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    Mute Live at Oriel
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    Sep 10th 2014, 6:32 PM

    The worst thing that ever happened the Guinness company was Diageo taking over .As soon as they were in control they closed the McCardle brewery in Dundalk with the loss of 450 jobs.It brewed it’s own ale as well as bottled most Guinness products.They moved the plant to Belfast.Then they shut the Harp Brewery in Dundalk with the loss over years of 300 jobs.Other Guiness Breweries have been shut round the country.At one stage they were thinking of moving out of James gate to elsewhere in the country.Dundalk was a great brewing town.Diageo ripped this from my town.Gerry Malone

    38
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:09 PM

    In fairness Enda speaks some guff “create the quantum” clown….

    34
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    Mute LesBehan
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:28 PM

    Do you ever notice when people have been drinking they tend to repeat themselves :

    “He said the government would further reform the tax and welfare systems to support jobs and employers, and make it possible for young Irish emigrants to “come back home”.

    33
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    Mute Jamie Edwards
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    Sep 10th 2014, 6:06 PM

    Doubt many people will return here after experiencing the lower living costs, generally much cheaper goods and property available in much of Europe/Australia/north America, not to mention in a lot of areas, better wages and lower taxes.

    I know when I move I won’t be coming back, some insignificant offering here won’t do.

    28
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    Mute Peter Grimes
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    Sep 10th 2014, 7:49 PM

    He should down a few of them creamy pints, it might give him the courage to go on the Vincent Brown Show.

    24
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Sep 10th 2014, 7:51 PM

    Vincent Browne doesn’t even go on the Vincent Browne programme these days.

    21
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    Mute Peter Grimes
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    Sep 10th 2014, 8:34 PM

    Vincent is back

    14
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:59 PM

    Thank God Edna gave it the ‘thumbs up’ or they’d have to scrap the whole thing..blessed be St Edna..

    24
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    Mute Brian Gormley
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:37 PM

    At least there’ll be no shortage of stout

    22
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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Sep 10th 2014, 7:03 PM

    Altough I detest kenny and anything to do with him or his cohorts I,m glad it wasn’t biffo.
    He’d still be there getting lamped.

    17
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    Mute Goldberg
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    Sep 10th 2014, 7:14 PM

    New facility built to accommodate biffos thirst

    15
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    Mute Pearse Mc Mullen
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    Sep 10th 2014, 7:53 PM

    Any truth in the rumour that it has an underground Luas into the dail……………..?

    12
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    Mute Craig O Connor
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:37 PM

    It’s well for some….

    7
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    Mute Tim Kearney
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:02 PM

    Which guy is Arthur ?

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    Mute Pinel G
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    Sep 10th 2014, 5:05 PM

    Peter Bodkin is the Author! :P

    11
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    Mute David Giles
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    Sep 11th 2014, 12:21 AM

    This is great news for Ireland and for Dublin. Guinness has been a fantastic asset and employer in Dublin since 1759.

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Sep 11th 2014, 12:04 AM

    A billion pints, exported to be re imported for the paddy

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    Mute Donal Fitzgerald
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    Sep 10th 2014, 10:47 PM

    Is there any Arthur’s Day this year..?

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    Mute Bob Moloney
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    Sep 11th 2014, 9:50 AM

    Gasping

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