Inside Ireland's pub industry's devastating decline as 2,100 boozers pull final pints amid VAT rate ‘act now' cut call
One in four have closed down since 2005 as the
2
Professor Anthony Foley found that an average of 112 pubs stopped trading every year
The study, commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, found that a massive 2,119 have pulled their final pints in that period.
Compiled by Economist and Associate Professor Emeritus at DCU, Professor Anthony Foley, the research found that an average of 112 pubs stopped trading every year, with a further 600 to 1,000 closures estimated over the next decade.
All 26 counties experienced declines in pub numbers between 2005 and 2024.
The highest decrease was in Limerick, which has seen the numbers fall by 37.2 per cent, followed by
READ MORE IN MONEY
The lowest decrease was in
DIGI said the high cost of doing business was a major factor to the alarming rate of closures recorded by the report.
The group pleaded with the Government for help, warning that many villages and small towns will lose their remaining pubs, dealing a 'devastating blow to the economic and social fabric of that community'.
MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN
DIGI has urged the policy makers to use the upcoming Budget to introduce a 10 per cent cut in excise, which currently stands as the second highest in the
Locals Heartbroken as Auchenmalg's Only Pub, The Cock Inn, Closes Down
Commenting on the report, Professor Foley said: 'This report reveals a pattern of pub closures across Ireland, particularly in rural Ireland in recent years.
'The addition of profound economic uncertainty through
'In the absence of government intervention, we are likely to see a further 600 to 1,000 pubs close over the coming decade.'
'ACT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE'
DIGI secretary Donall O'Keeffe, who is also the CEO of the Licensed Vintner's Federation warned that the high VAT was also crippling pubs and urged the Government to act now.
He said: 'More than 100 pubs are closing every year in Ireland, due in large part to the high costs imposed by the State.
'Without immediate intervention, up to 1,000 more pubs will close for the last time, leaving their communities without a vital community and tourism hub. Once closed, such pubs rarely re-open.
'The Government could improve commercial viability overnight by cutting excise by 10 per cent.
"With Irish consumption of alcohol having fallen to average
'This is on top of a hefty 23 per cent VAT rate. The time for the Government to act is now before it is too late.'
2
All 26 counties experienced declines in pub numbers between 2005 and 2024
Credit: Getty
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
6 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Tánaiste criticises Opposition for wanting to spend more
Tánaiste Simon Harris has criticised the Opposition for wanting to spend more money, even though there are major concerns about US trade tariffs and the future of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. Speaking during Leaders' Questions before the Dáil ends for the summer, Mr Harris said there are measures being taken to help households, including extending the 9% VAT rate on energy bills, along with an expansion of the fuel allowance. But he said that anyone who fails to take into account the level of instability facing the economy simply does not get it. Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said that there are now over 300,000 homes behind on their electricity bills and 175,000 behind on their gas bills. He said the Government was about to swan off for the summer while refusing to commit to delivering a cost-of-living package in the Budget. Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore accused the Government of being "epic wasters". Ms Whitmore said people are worried about putting food on the table. She said there are economic clouds on the horizon and a growing sense of worry about what the future holds. She added that the Government splashed the cash in an attempt to buy votes last year, but now the Government is saying one-off payments are a bad idea as there is no election on the cards. Ms Whitmore said her party told the Government to target measures and supports. She added that Fine Gael styles itself as a party of fiscal probity, but in reality, it has been throwing public money around like "snuff at a wake". She said public spending is up 50% in a few short years, but Ireland has a housing crisis, record homelessness, threadbare disability services, a cost of living crisis and energy and water infrastructure that is crumbling. "This Government, you're epic wasters, you have wasted time, opportunity… and you have wasted our money." Responding, the Tánaiste accused the Opposition of hypocrisy, and he asked the deputy which of the one-off payments that were in place last year she was against? He said the united Opposition has not agreed on a presidential candidate, and cannot agree on budgetary matters either. He added that Sinn Féin want universal one-off measures, and the Social Democrats want targeted measures, but the Government will deliver a Budget in October. "It's not about giving anyone a lecture in fiscal prudence, it's about saying thank God we're approaching this moment of economic instability with full employment... with surpluses and a rainy day fund," said Mr Harris. 10,000 promised homes never materialised - Aontú Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said many people around the country will look to mark the Government's "report card" on the last day of the Dáil. He said 10,000 homes promised by the Government "never materialised". He said the only thing that is more affordable at the moment is cocaine. "Criminals are doing a better job in creating a functional market for an illegal drug than you are in terms of housing," said Mr Tóibín. In response, Mr Harris said Ireland has record levels of employment, an economy that's running budget surpluses, and "an ability to create effectively two national wealth funds to protect our country from economic shocks". "We have been able to take real measures in the here and now to help carers, to help increase the fuel allowance, to help the student grants, to help reduce the cost of books." Mr Harris said there has been housing reform and major reform to the health system. He thanked Deputy Tóibín for his perspective and said the Government has "already undertaken a lot of work". "We will continue to do it while you will continue to critique us from over there," Mr Harris added.
Irish Daily Mirror
6 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Dublin Airport permitted to increase night-time flights
Dublin Airport has been allowed to increase the number of night-time flights, with some subjected to noise limits. Irish planning body An Coimisiun Pleanala has granted permission to increase flights landing and taking off at night at the airport. Previous planning permission had allowed 65 flights a night between 11pm and 7am. "The commission agreed with the inspectors' revised calculations and concluded that an annual cap of 35,672 night-time aircraft movements would be appropriate," it said in a decision published on Thursday. This increases the cap to 98 flights a night, subject to certain noise-level restrictions. The quota will be in place for 12 months from April 1. A ban on flights at the north runway between 11pm and 7am has been reduced to between midnight and 6am, except in exceptional circumstances such as emergencies, adverse weather, or technical faults in air traffic control systems. Aircraft that breach the noise quota will not be permitted to take off, the planning body said. It said its decision will ensure both the number and the noise level of night-time flights are "effectively managed". Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Independent
8 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Irish exports to US up 153pc in the first five months of the year
Some €70.8bn of produce was shipped across the Atlantic, compared to €28bn in the same five-month period last year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The pattern continued in the month of May, even after Mr Trump put a 90-day pause on the introduction of a 20pc 'reciprocal' tariff on the EU. Exports to the US increased to €10.6bn, up 86.5pc year-on-year, in that month alone. The increased pace of transatlantic trade pushed the total value of Irish exports to €134.4bn in the first five months of the year, an increase of €42.9bn on the same period in 2024. Exports of medical and pharmaceutical products represent the biggest share, with €13.7bn exported in May, up 74pc on the same month last year. It is likely that several of the big US pharma companies operating in Ireland, such as Pfizer and Eli Lilly, frontloaded delivery of stock in that period. By contrast, the value of exports to Britain fell by 12pc in the first five months of the year, dropping from €7.2bn to €6.3bn. The products that account for the largest share of exports to Britain are food and live animals, and machinery and transport equipment. Ireland's biggest export markets in May were the US, followed by the Netherlands and Britain. Over 10pc of our exports went to the Netherlands, where some products would have re-exported through Rotterdam, Europe's largest seaport. Imports also rose in the first five months of the year, according to the CSO data. The value of goods imported rose by €4.2bn, or 7.8pc year-on-year, in that period. Robert Purdue, head of dealing at the global financial service firm Ebury, said 2025 was likely to be a year of two halves for exports, with an 'artificial spike' in H1 followed by a slump, as exporters re-stock. 'New threats of significant tariffs on pharmaceutical products will be hugely concerning for the economy given the critical role this sector plays in Ireland,' he said. Janette Maxwell, a tax partner at Grant Thornton, said the trend of high exports is unlikely to continue in the long term. 'President Donald Trump's recent threat of 30pc tariffs on goods will significantly change the functioning of trade between the US and the EU, in addition to having a detrimental impact on the Irish economy,' she said. 'Traders are enduring ongoing instability and unpredictability, and this alone will risk damage to transatlantic trade relations, notwithstanding any introduction of potential tariffs. Therefore it is possible that Irish traders will seek alternative export markets as US consumers may simply not pay the inflated prices that would be inevitable should the 30% tariff rate be introduced on Irish goods.'
