Quarter of Irish pubs have closed since 2005
A new report reveals that one-in-four Irish pubs have closed since 2005, with over 2,200 premises shutting down. The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland attributes this decline to high excise duties and warns that hundreds more closures are likely without policy changes.
Why it matters
The decline of the pub industry threatens a significant cultural and economic pillar of Irish society, prompting calls for tax reform to prevent further rural and urban economic erosion.
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 on behalf of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) by economist Anthony Foley, shows an average of 110 pubs stopped trading every year over the last two decades.
All 26 southern counties experienced a decline in pub numbers between 2005 and 2025.
The highest decrease was in Limerick (-37%), followed by Offaly (-34%), Cork (-33%), Roscommon (-32%), Tipperary (-32%), Laois (-31%), Longford (-30%) and Westmeath (-30%).
The smallest drop was in Dublin at 1%, followed by Wicklow with a decrease of 9%.
Meath had a decrease of 11%, while all other counties saw a 13% or greater decrease.
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