Rural pubs are going out of business faster than ever, figures from the Revenue Commissioners show. With almost 450 fewer pub licences issued or renewed last year compared with 2005, vintners have called for subsidised rural transport schemes and a relaxation of gambling restrictions to help stem the trend of pub closures.
In total, almost 1,000 pubs have gone out of business in the past three years, most of them in rural areas. Urban bars are faring better while the off-licence sector continues to boom.
Publicans blame stricter drink driving laws and a lack of public transport options in rural areas for their falling trade.
"The drink driving changes were introduced overnight, and are being implemented to the letter," said Paul Stevenson, president of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland.
"It's put people in a state of fear. They're not coming out to pubs because they're frightened. They are hostages in their own homes."
Ireland risks losing a precious part of its heritage and a vital part of the social fabric if the decline in rural pubs continues, he said.
"If Irish pubs weren't so good why would they be trying to recreate them all around the world?" he added.
Fianna Fáil TD Michael Finneran said pubs are no longer a viable business in many parts of his constituency of Roscommon and South Leitrim. Even town pubs were "feeling the pinch," especially mid-week.
Mr Finneran said the provision of public transport in rural areas was the answer to the problem but said there had been a "sea change" in public habits.
"The pub as we know it is just not as attractive to Irish people as it once was."
Mr Stevenson said much drinking had moved out of the controlled environment of the pub and into homes and onto the streets.
"People are drinking irresponsibly at home and yet the publicans are getting the blame. We're becoming too hard on moderate drinking yet we're soft on heavy and binge drinking."
A driver found to be barely over the legal limit for alcohol is treated the same as someone who is "absolutely rotten", he claimed.
He said restrictions should be lifted on gaming machines in pubs as a way of boosting business.
"I can't see why slot machines are tolerated in England but not here. I can lift my phone in the pub and back a horse running in Australia yet I can't pull the bar of a slot machine while there."
While not agreeing with the Co Limerick publican who recently employed a topless barmaid to attract customers, Mr Stevenson said he could understand the "frustration" behind the decision.
The Revenue figures show that the Border, Midlands and Western (BMW) region saw the greatest decline, with 237 pub licences lost last year.
Some 130 pub licences were lost in the south-west, 70 in the eastern region and 10 in Dublin. Nationally, almost 8,500 pub licences were issued.
Many rural licences are being bought by business interests who then use the permit to open an urban bar or off-licence.
However, even in the cities, developers have been eyeing up pub sites for their development potential, and bars have been replaced with apartment blocks.
The market price of a pub licence is about €180,000.
Mr Stevenson said, however, it wasn't all "gloom and doom", with many pubs re-inventing themselves by providing food, the internet and other attractions.
"You now have pubs which are coffee shops in the morning, cafes at lunchtime, pubs in the evening and music venue later on."
Pubs were also targeting their market rather than trying to be "all things to all people", the vintners' federation president said.
