*Photograph: Joe Buckley
SHANNON has the highest commercial vacancy for any town in Ireland, a new report has revealed.
Clare’s commercial vacancy rate increased by 0.4 percentage points to 15.5 percent in the final quarter of 2022, making it higher than the national average of 14.0 percent and the ninth highest in the country.
Of the towns in Clare surveyed, Shannon had the highest commercial rate at 29.8%, Kilrush had 24.7% which is the second highest in Munster while Ennis had the lowest rate at 18.0%.
Figures for Shannon are the highest in the country, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal (29.2%), Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford (28.4%), Boyle, Co. Roscommon (27.7%), and Sligo Town (25.4%) completed the top five towns by highest commercial vacancy rate.
Findings from the latest GeoDirectory Commercial Vacancy Rates Report show the country’s commercial vacancy rate hit a ten year high, the records began in 2013. With the exception of Dublin, every county has experienced an increase in commercial vacancy rates over the past decade.
Nationally, at 19.6%, Sligo recorded the highest commercial vacancy rate, followed by Galway (17.6%) and Donegal (17.5%). The lowest commercial vacancy rates were recorded in Meath (10.2%), Wexford (10.4%) and Kerry (12.2%)
Ennis and Carrigaline in Cork had the highest share of occupied units allocated to the industry sector at 4.2%.
The accommodation and food services sector had a decrease of 106 units in the last year to an overall total of 22,500 units. The five counties with the highest concentration of accommodation and food services units were Kerry (24.8%), Clare (20.9%), Donegal (19.1%), Leitrim (18.9%), and Galway (17.8%).
