Excise duty blamed as 2,205 Irish pubs close over twenty year period

2,205 Irish pubs closed since 2005, one in four premises
Average 110 pubs closed annually over two decades
Limerick saw highest decrease of 37pc
86 pubs closed in 2025, up from 65 in 2024
DIGI calls for excise cut in upcoming budget

A new report shows a rapid decline in the number of pubs in Ireland, with 2,205 premises, one in four, closing their doors since 2005. The report, compiled by economist and Associate Professor Emeritus at DCU Anthony Foley for the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, shows that an average of 110 pubs stopped trading every year over the last two decades. All 26 southern counties experienced declines in pub numbers over the 2005 to 2025 period.

The highest decrease was in Limerick with 37pc, followed by Offaly with 34pc, Cork with 33pc, Roscommon with 32pc, Tipperary with 32pc, Laois with 31pc, Longford with 30pc and Westmeath with 30pc. The lowest decrease was in Dublin with a drop of 1pc, followed by Wicklow with a decrease of 9pc. Meath had a decrease of 11pc and all other counties saw a 13pc 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. DIGI has called for the Government to use the upcoming budget to cut excise on alcohol which it says is the second highest in the European Union. The report suggests that pub closures will likely continue in the absence of any change in Government policy, with an optimistic scenario expecting about 600 additional closures in the next decade from 2024 and more pessimistic expectations increasing closure levels to 1,000.

Anthony Foley shared: “It is likely that pub closures will continue in the absence of any change in Government policy, with an optimistic scenario expecting about 600 additional closures in the next decade from 2024 and more pessimistic expectations increasing the closure level to 1,000.”