Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2026
67. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of businesses that have ceased trading in each county in the past 12 months; the sectors most affected; the trends in business closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44222/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset, I should clarify that the information available to my Department relates to companies registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO). This does not include businesses operating as sole traders or unincorporated entities.
From Q1 2025 to Q1 2026 the overall trend in firms ceasing to trade (inclusive of liquidations and voluntary strike-offs) decreased, going from 3,111 to 1,725. This includes a decrease in insolvent liquidations over the period decreasing from 161 in Q1 2025 to 115 in Q1 2026. At the same time, the trend in new firms increased over the period, with 6,491 new firms incorporated in Q1 2025 compared to 7,843 firms incorporated in Q1 2026.
Businesses can close for a variety of reasons and the information available to the CRO 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 covers 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.
Table 1: Firm Closures by County, 2025
|
County |
Court Order |
Creditor’s Voluntary |
Member’s Voluntary |
Total Liquidations |
Voluntary Strike-offs |
Total firms to have ceased trading |
|
Carlow |
|
1 |
12 |
13 |
19 |
45 |
|
Cavan |
|
|
1 |
1 |
34 |
36 |
|
Clare |
|
3 |
11 |
14 |
64 |
92 |
|
Cork |
5 |
59 |
70 |
134 |
442 |
710 |
|
Donegal |
|
6 |
4 |
10 |
64 |
84 |
|
Dublin |
65 |
336 |
1165 |
1566 |
2583 |
5715 |
|
Galway |
1 |
14 |
21 |
36 |
150 |
222 |
|
Kerry |
|
9 |
17 |
26 |
49 |
101 |
|
Kildare |
|
1 |
10 |
11 |
181 |
203 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
3 |
18 |
24 |
38 |
84 |
|
Laois |
|
2 |
|
2 |
35 |
39 |
|
Leitrim |
|
|
|
|
18 |
18 |
|
Limerick |
|
9 |
38 |
47 |
124 |
218 |
|
Longford |
|
|
|
|
19 |
19 |
|
Louth |
|
1 |
10 |
11 |
102 |
124 |
|
Mayo |
|
5 |
3 |
8 |
42 |
58 |
|
Meath |
|
23 |
32 |
55 |
197 |
307 |
|
Monaghan |
|
|
3 |
|
37 |
40 |
|
Offaly |
|
2 |
5 |
7 |
17 |
31 |
|
Roscommon |
|
1 |
|
1 |
17 |
19 |
|
Sligo |
|
2 |
6 |
8 |
41 |
57 |
|
Tipperary |
|
1 |
7 |
8 |
57 |
73 |
|
Waterford |
|
|
12 |
12 |
45 |
69 |
|
Westmeath |
|
|
18 |
18 |
52 |
88 |
|
Wexford |
|
2 |
6 |
8 |
74 |
90 |
|
Wicklow |
13 |
5 |
12 |
30 |
111 |
171 |
|
Unspecified |
20 |
86 |
458 |
564 |
2874 |
4002 |
Table 2 illustrates the three sectors that experienced the highest numbers of firms ceasing to trade.
|
NACE |
Description |
Court Order |
Creditor’s Voluntary |
Member’s Voluntary |
Total Liquidations |
Voluntary Strike-offs |
Total firms to have ceased trading |
Incorporations |
|
6420 |
Activities of Holding Companies |
6 |
26 |
134 |
166 |
415 |
581 |
2679 |
|
7022 |
Business and other management consultancy activities |
5 |
16 |
53 |
74 |
506 |
580 |
2095 |
|
6499 |
Other financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding n.e.c. |
2 |
|
301 |
303 |
123 |
426 |
807 |
I hope this information is of assistance to you.
