Greg Mulholland, a UK Liberal Democrat MP and traditional pub industry campaigner, put on a frightfully good show on Tuesday when he addressed the Oireachtas jobs committee about the battle to save boozers (the establishments, that is, not their best customers).

Mulholland was a paragon of smooth as he addressed the committee, which includes a couple of earthier types such as Fine Gael's Anthony Lawlor, a Kildare farmer with hands like dinner plates, and the Shinners Peadar Tóibín and David Cullinane. It also includes Senator Feargal Quinn.

Mulholland criticised supermarkets for selling cut- price booze, damaging the traditional, independent pub trade. This sparked the senator, who founded Superquinn, into life.

“You’re anti-supermarket,” harrumphed Quinn.

“Pubs need to be able to adjust to the competition . . . Supermarkets have done a marvellous job and should be encouraged [to sell alcohol].”

Mulholland, who seemed slightly taken aback by the sight of a sprightly 78-year old putting his verbal dukes up, retorted that below-cost selling of alcohol by big retailers is “anti-competitive”.

Lawlor wanted to know if British pubs had suffered from a lack of chefs, as he said the industry does in Ireland. Mulholland replied that UK immigration controls have caused a staffing crisis in curry houses.

“Customers often go for a curry after the pub,” he said.

The British politician was in town also to address an event organised by the Irish drinks industry’s Support Your Local.

That didn't stop him asking the committee what it thought of the industry "dominance" in Ireland of Heineken and Diageo, who are two of the biggest funders of the Support Your Local lobby group.