A collection of former pubs across Ireland have been successfully redeveloped into 169 housing units.

Fine Gael Senator John Cummins confirmed the figures after advocating strongly for existing regulations to be amended to promote the re-use of vacant commercial buildings for housing supply and to renew urban and rural areas.

Senator Cummins said: "I am absolutely delighted that extensions to the planning exemptions for former pubs, passed last February, have resulted in 53 former pubs being brought back into use for residential purposes.

"This has ultimately resulted in the delivery of 169 much needed housing units.

"Vacant pubs are often in prominent locations, close to all services and amenities and can make excellent homes.

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"In fact, many originally started off as residential units. The failure to include vacant pubs under the previous regulations often resulted in needless planning delays.

"I predicted that the new exemption had real potential to fast track the delivery of more houses across the country."

He continued: "This is something I advocated strongly for, having seen the challenges and lost time experienced via the planning system for two projects I was involved with in Waterford City.

"It is clear this simple change has had a very positive outcome and I am delighted to have been able to bring this change through to implementation with the assistance of Ministers Peter Burke and Darragh O'Brien.

"Given that the exemptions only came into force in Q2 of last year, I believe we will only see the full benefits of the extended exemptions when the outturn figures for 2023 are published next year.

"However, it is clear that the trend is positive and the exemption is being utilised by the sector to deliver much needed homes for individuals and families."

The conversion of former commercial premises into residential is also beginning to pick up pace, with a total 260 properties now converted into 665 housing units.