A high-profile publican is defending his position that front of house staff in his bars should be Irish.

Charlie Chawke has nine pubs, including the Orchard Inn in the Rathfarnham area of Dublin which was bought for a record €22 million in 2005.

He believes his business' winning formula includes having Irish staff meet people entering the pub.

In the Irish Independent Mr Chawke is quoted as saying, "I believe it is essential to have Irish staff behind the bar or on the floor because they have the blas and the personality to get on with customer. Irish staff know what is going on in Croke Park or in the rugby or what is happening around the country."

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, he says his pubs employ around 400 people with a "slightly over 50-50" proportion of Irish staff compared to workers from other countries.

He insists his pubs employ many foreign nationals, and his comments are about the importance to tourists and other customers of having an Irish welcome: