Frank Fell used to hunt foxes. But as chief executive of the Licensed Vintners Association for 20 years he could hardly be blamed for having a hunted feeling himself, as the Competition Authority chases the association through the courts - together with its sister association, the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) - for alleged price-fixing.

The authority has also sounded the hunting horn with its recent submission, calling for an increase in the number of pubs in the Dublin area, a report Mr Fell dismisses as "turgid" and a desk research job.

He does not, however, seem perturbed by the Competition Authority's two-pronged approach, busying himself with a heavy schedule.

But he is operating with the distinct feeling that he has got on the wrong side of the media. "The media fastens on the Tallaght syndrome which is not in any way representative of the rest of Dublin.

"They do not want to know that in city centre Dublin, beer prices are much cheaper than those to be found in London or any Continental city.

"They do not seem to want to know that practical research has shown that most people are satisfied with the number of pubs in Dublin."

He argues that in suburban areas, residents' groups have adopted a "not-in-my-backyard view" and put paid to planning applications for pubs. "To remedy the problem of under-pubbed suburbs is just not feasible through a deregulation process.

"If it were to deregulate in the way they say it should, you would have licences come into the city centre because of apartment blocks."

The LVA is the oldest Irish trade association with an unbroken record of membership, dating back to 1817, and has offices befitting its status at Anglesea House in Donnybrook. It is set in 3.7 acres of parkland alongside the Dodder river and is replete with wildlife including, incidentally, suburban foxes.

With 630 members, Mr Fell says up to 93 per cent of the Dublin pub trade is represented. The LVA also manages a £20 million staff pension fund on behalf of the trade union, Mandate, and owns the franchise for the chain of off-trade outlets, Cheers Take Home.

Originally from the North Circular Road, Mr Fell went to UCD, completing a master's degree in economics. He worked with Unilever, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society and Bord na Mona, before joining the LVA in 1978. He now lives in Donnybrook with his wife, Pauline.

Mr Fell says history does sustain the association "a little bit" but insists it is forward-looking. It has a time-honoured, low-key approach to its lobbying which mostly keeps it out of the media.

He has seen "moderate" growth in the sector in recent years. But in an increasingly media-driven world the LVA has found its opinion sought out as pressure builds for more flexible licensing hours, consumers become belligerent about the once sacrosanct right to refuse admission and publicans' duty of care appears to increase.

Earlier this month a man who was paralysed as a result of crashing his van received more than £100,000 in an out-of-court settlement with two pubs after alleging they allowed him to drive his vehicle knowing he was drunk. The insurance company settled against the wishes of at least one of the publicans. "You can take it that they will be going elsewhere for their business. It has been noted," Mr Fell says.

He has learned to live with not getting what he perceives as a good press. "We have kind of given up on it. . . The balance has tended to go against the licensed trade in arguments with the general media," he says.

The industry has contributed to the positive image of the State and of Dublin and "has been a major contributor to national life over many, many years".

It employs in excess of 20,000 people, more than half of whom are full-time employees and the annual national tax take is in the region of £1.02 billion.

"I am not trying to knock them, but take the computer industry - a lot of them have come over here and have got tax breaks. We do not take tax breaks, we give them. We are making huge contributions back towards the Exchequer." The arrival of the super-pub is contributing to those returns. Last week a record £4.75 million was paid for a pub in Artane, Dublin, The Sheaf o' Wheat which has a turnover of £1.97 million per year.

Mr Fell says such developments are a consequence of changes in Irish life and Dublin's transition from a backwater to a cosmopolitan city. "The market wants these kinds of pubs . . . There are sporting pubs, traditional pubs, swinging pubs, gay pubs. There is every kind of market within the total thing."

He agrees that bottled beer prices are overpriced and believes there is an increasing realisation of that in the licensed trade. "We are confined by the Competition Acts to do anything about it. But I think there is a case for publicans to look at that area."

The similar price of non-alcoholic beers to alcoholic raises eyebrows among the punters, but Mr Fell contends that the publican buys both products in at around the same price. The wholesale price of a two-dozen crate of non-alcoholic beer is £14.18; the equivalent for alcoholic beer is £16.54.

And what about minerals? Although only a mixture of sugar and water, soft drinks prices can have the imbiber in a cold sweat.

He says that he has to talk here about the "bums on seats" factor of someone getting the value of an ambience. "Publicans will take a view that they have to take a bottom line that is a return on the investment".

Last June, the All-Party Committee on Liquor Licensing Laws recommended changes in opening hours, the need to licence sports clubs, museums and theatres and the introduction of a national minimum age card scheme.

Mr Fell says the LVA agrees with 44 out of the 75 recommendations and acknowledges the opening hours now are "nonsensical" for the under-40 age group.

"There is a huge demand out there among our members that pubs should trade on to 12.30 a.m, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday."