I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to Parliamentary Question 379 of 20 May 2025, which sought information on the hospitality and retail sectors. The response to that Parliamentary Question had been deferred at the time as information was awaited from the Companies Registration Office (CRO). This information was subsequently supplied by the CRO but was not forwarded to the Deputy due to an administrative oversight in my Department. I regret the delay in responding and the information sought is set out below.
However, at the outset, I should clarify that the information available relates to companies registered with the CRO. This does not include businesses operating as sole traders or unincorporated entities.
Businesses can close for a variety of reasons and the information available relates to filings of those companies who wish to be voluntarily struck off the companies register and those notifying the CRO when entering liquidation. Voluntary strike-off is available where a company either ceases to trade, or has never traded, has no assets in excess of €150 and has no outstanding creditors. It should be noted that liquidation cover situations where a company may be solvent, and pursue a Members’ Voluntary liquidation, or insolvent and is subject to a Creditors’ voluntary liquidation or a Court ordered liquidation.
The data provided by the CRO in relation to your question is set out in the table below.
Jan 2024 – Mar 2025
|
-
|
Incorporations
|
Voluntary strike-offs
|
Total Liquidations
|
Net change (+/-)
|
|
National
Hospitality
Retail
|
2179
1917
|
358
472
|
299
239
|
+1,522
+1,206
|
|
Dublin
Hospitality
Retail
|
780
814
|
136
235
|
163
149
|
+481
+430
|