There are over 800,000 companies on the Irish Companies Register maintained by the CRO. This includes active companies, dissolved entities, and companies that have been struck off. As of 2026, approximately 280,000–300,000 companies have "Normal" (active) status.
Total Companies on the Register
| Category | Approximate Count |
|---|---|
| Total companies ever registered | 800,000+ |
| Currently active ("Normal" status) | ~280,000–300,000 |
| Dissolved | ~350,000+ |
| Struck off | ~150,000+ |
| In liquidation/receivership/examinership | ~2,000–3,000 |
These figures are based on CRO annual reports and the Businesses.ie database, which syncs with CRO data daily.
New Company Registrations Per Year
Ireland typically sees 25,000–30,000 new company incorporations per year. Recent trends:
- 2023: ~27,000 new companies registered
- 2024: ~28,000 new companies registered
- 2025: ~29,000 new companies registered (estimated)
The majority of new incorporations are LTD companies (private companies limited by shares), accounting for over 90% of all new registrations.
Breakdown by Company Type
| Type | Description | Share of Active Companies |
|---|---|---|
| LTD | Private Company Limited by Shares | ~85–90% |
| DAC | Designated Activity Company | ~5–7% |
| CLG | Company Limited by Guarantee | ~3–4% |
| PLC | Public Limited Company | <1% |
| UC | Unlimited Company | <1% |
| External | Foreign companies registered in Ireland | ~2–3% |
Breakdown by County
Dublin dominates Irish company registrations, accounting for roughly 40–45% of all active companies. The top 5 counties by number of active companies:
- Dublin: ~120,000–130,000 active companies
- Cork: ~25,000–30,000
- Galway: ~10,000–12,000
- Limerick: ~8,000–10,000
- Kildare: ~7,000–9,000
Browse companies by county on Businesses.ie to see real-time counts and company listings for each Irish county.
Ireland vs. Other Countries
Ireland's 800,000+ registered companies is significant for a country of ~5.1 million people. For comparison:
- UK: ~5 million companies on Companies House (population ~67 million)
- Netherlands: ~2.3 million registered entities (population ~17.5 million)
- Ireland: ~800,000 registered companies (population ~5.1 million)
Per capita, Ireland has one of the highest rates of company registration in Europe, partly driven by its role as a European headquarters location for multinational corporations.
Key Industries
While the CRO does not systematically categorise companies by industry, Ireland's registered companies span technology, financial services, pharma, agriculture, construction, and professional services. Dublin is the primary hub for tech and financial services, while rural counties have higher concentrations of agriculture and construction companies.
Data Sources
- CRO Annual Reports: Published by the Companies Registration Office
- Businesses.ie database: 800,000+ companies, synced daily from CRO data
- CSO (Central Statistics Office): Business demography statistics
Summary
Ireland has 800,000+ companies on the CRO register, with approximately 280,000–300,000 currently active. About 25,000–30,000 new companies are incorporated each year, over 90% as LTDs. Dublin accounts for 40–45% of all active companies. Search the full register on Businesses.ie.