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Number of pub licenses has fallen by more than 2,200 in just 20 years to 6,412, a decline of 25.6% - a huge decline.
Number of pub licenses has fallen by more than 2,200 in just 20 years to 6,412, a decline of 25.6% A new report shows a rapid decline in the number of pubs in Ireland, with 2,205 premises - or one in four - closing their doors since 2005.
The report, compiled by Economist and Associate Professor Emeritus at DCU, Anthony Foley, shows that an average of 110 pubs stopped trading every year over the last two decades. The highest decrease was in Limerick , followed by Offaly Cork , Roscommon , Tipperary , Laois , Longford and Westmeath . The lowest decrease was in Dublin with a drop of -1.1%, followed by Wicklow with a decrease of -9.5%.
Meath had a decrease of 11.4% and all other counties saw a 13% or greater decrease. The number of pubs which closed their doors last year was 86, up from 65 in 2024 but down from 117 in 2023.
The report was commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland which has called for the Government to use the upcoming Budget to introduce an immediate 10% cut in excise, which currently stands as the second highest in the European Union. Author Professor Tony Foley said: “It is likely that pub closures will continue in the absence of any change in Government policy.
Even in the absence of additional significant economic shocks, an optimistic scenario would expect about 600 additional closures in the next decade from 2024. More pessimistic expectations would increase the closure level to 1,000.
“Over the past 20 years the Irish economy has grown substantially, including large employment, consumption and adult population increases, despite multiple economic shocks and geopolitical disruption. “This growth should have supported the alcohol and public house sectors.
However, both alcohol consumption and pub sales volumes declined substantially. The level of alcohol taxation is very high in Ireland, which alongside rising costs and changing consumer trends, reduces the commercial viability of public houses. ”says Ireland has seen a decimation in the number of pubs operating across Ireland.
"This has been particularly damaging to the social, economic and cultural life of rural Ireland. They are also a huge loss to our tourism offer. Without government intervention, this trend will continue and potentially accelerate," he said.
“We are calling for a 10% immediate cut in excise duty to give the remaining small, family-owned pubs a better chance of remaining viable. Current excise rates are simply unjust given Ireland’s continually falling rates of alcohol consumption, which ranks us among the EU average for levels of alcohol consumption.
“Our extremely high level of alcohol taxation in comparison to the rest of Europe is actively harming our sector and our customers who rely upon the public house as a hub of human connection. This is particularly true in rural settings where there is a greater risk of social isolation.
” The report was prepared using data from the register of alcohol licences compiled by the Revenue Commissioners and analysed by the Vintners Federation of Ireland to eliminate other licensed enterprises such as hotels. Give Us The Night posted their latest figures on the number of “regularly active nightclubs in Ireland today”, revealing that just 83 remain open in 2025. Those numbers have plummeted from 110 clubs open in 2019.
Nine counties are now down to just one nightclub, while there are now no reported venues in Kilkenny – the only county without a single club. Dyson founder, James Dyson, in stand-off with Waterford locals over graveyard acces…Viral video of elderly woman disrespected in hospital was not UHL Multiple outlets, including RTE, reported on the viral video which appeared to show a patient being disrespected by a nurse.
University Hospital Limerick has come under severe criticism after a viral video claiming to be taken there showed an elderly woman being insulted. The “family” of the woman came forward to speak about their disgust Dyson founder, James Dyson, in stand-off with Waterford locals over graveyard access Dyson bought the 850-acre estate for around €30 million in 2024.
Billionaire James Dyson, inventor of the British vacuum cleaner empire, is at the centre of a dispute with locals in County Waterford over access to a graveyard and long-established rights-of-way on his estate. Dyson bought the 850-acre Ballynatray House Estate in west Waterford for Monaghan woman and husband died in Spain due to “suction entrapment” – autopsy confirms Thomasina McArdle, 48, and her husband, Patrick Tobin, 51, from New Zealand were found dead by their teenage children last week.
Originally from Castleblaney, McArdle had been living in London with her family for years. The couple were found in the hot tub in an exclusive resort in Cullera, now believed to be a freak
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