One in seven commercial units empty in Galway

Galway City and County have the third-highest level of vacant commercial premises in the country – almost 15% of premises are lying empty – according to new research.

Empty units in Galway stood at 14.8% at the end of June, up from 13.8% at the same time last year. The national average was 12.6%.

According to a new report from GeoDirectory and DKM Economic Consultants, the total number of commercial addresses identified in Galway (city and county) is 12,763, with 1,889 vacant.

The report uses an address point as a unit, as opposed to a building, which can comprise one or more units.

Sligo had the highest rate of empties at 16%, followed by Leitrim at 15.5%. The lowest rates were in Kerry (9%), Westmeath (9.9%) and Wexford (10%).

For the first time, the report includes an analysis of the commercial vacancy rate of industrial commercial property across the country.

Dublin (22% or 48,989 address points) had the highest number of unique commercial address points, followed by Cork (11.7% or 26,006) and Galway (5.7% or 12,763 address points). Leitrim, Longford and Carlow had the lowest number of commercial address points, each with less than 3,000 units.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Tribune