The Department of Housing has received 154 notifications of the conversion of vacant pubs into residential homes since 2022, figures from the department have shown.
In 2018, the Government introduced planning exemptions to remove the requirement for planning permission to convert certain properties to residential units.
This exemption was extended in 2022 to allow vacant pubs to be converted into homes.
The department has said the 154 notifications had the potential to create 459 new homes.
Co Mayo received the highest number of pub exemptions with 18 which equated to 40 homes, the department said.
In total, 1,457 notifications to convert vacant commercial properties into residential units were received from 2018 to 2024, with the department saying these had the potential to create 3,429 new homes.
There were 30,635 vacant commercial units across the country as of June 2024, according to a GeoDirectory Commercial Buildings Report.
A study commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland earlier this year estimated that an average of 112 pubs stopped trading every year over the last 20 years.
Minister for Housing James Browne said transforming premises such as former pubs is "a practical community-focused solution which as well as streamlining the planning process, makes efficient use of existing infrastructure and services".
"This measure not only boosts the supply of homes, but also our Town Centre First Policy which is breathing new life into our villages, towns and cities by supporting regeneration and more vibrant, sustainable communities across the country," he said.
Mayo had highest number of former pubs converted
Of the 154 former pubs converted from 2022 to 2024, Mayo had the highest number with 18, followed by Limerick and then 10 by Cork county.
The Director of Services at Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan, said they have had up to 50 or 60 applications, but not just for pubs.
Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, he said there was a significant amendment in 2018 which removed the requirement for planning permission when converting a former pub into residential use, provided certain conditions are met.
He said this was to help simplify the process, cut down on costs and time delays, and give property owners more certainty. It helped unlock the pathway for underused and closed pubs to be quickly repurposed into homes.
Mr Gilligan outlined what needs to be done, saying: "You do have to fill out an application form to the local authority, a change of use from from commercial to residential and there is a minimum of two weeks' notice required to be furnished to the planning authority prior to the commencement of works.
"Floor areas must comply with current design standards for new apartments and also natural light must serve each living room bedroom of the building.
"There are a number of things you still have to do, but the main thing is that you have to notify the local authority a minimum of two weeks that you're actually going to commence the works."
Mr Gilligan said there is scope for the policy to be expanded to include more commercial properties.
"There was a report commissioned by the drinks Industry Group of Ireland that did show a continuing decline in the number of pubs in Ireland with 2,119, or one in four, closing their doors since 2005."
In Mayo alone, 135 pubs have closed since 2005. That is a decline of 28.9%. An average of 112 pubs have stopped trading in Ireland every year. There is an estimated 600 to 1,000 closures estimated over the next 10 years, he said.
"We are seeing the decline in the drinks/pub industry. A lot of these pubs are in town and village centres where people want to live."
"Apart from the housing need, which this is helping to meet, it's also helping to breathe new life into our communities, help rejuvenate the town centres and that's very important as well. It would be great to see further expansion of the scheme and a continuation of it, because there's a lot more to do," he added.
