Louth ranked as one of Ireland's hardest counties for business survival

Louth ranks as one of Ireland's worst counties for business survival with nearly one-third facing dissolution. 

New analysis of Companies Registration Office (CRO) data revealed that Louth ranked 20th in Ireland for business survival. 

The figures show that 666 companies were registered in the county in 2025, while 212 were dissolved. It means Louth has a survival rate of 68%. 

According to Nathan Trust, which provide professional services for company registration, there are several reasons why companies may be dissolved or struck off. 

This incudes failure to file annual returns with the CRO, poor cash flow management, tax compliance issues, director disputes or resignation, business model viability challenges, voluntary closure after completing a project.

It said: "In some cases, companies are dissolved not because they failed, but because they were established for a single purpose or short-term venture. However, avoidable administrative oversights, particularly around annual returns and tax filings, remain one of the most common causes of involuntary strike-offs." 

Nationally, Cavan ranked first for business survival with 84%, while Dublin were bottom with 54%.