One in seven commercial premises vacant in Kildare

THE commercial vacancy rate for Kildare was recorded at one in seven premises (13.8 per cent) in June 2026 according to the new GeoDirectory Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, which was released recently.

This was lower than the national average of 14.5 per cent, and the analysis found that the commercial vacancy rate in Kildare decreased by 0.5 percentage points compared to the same period in 2025.

Of the urban areas in Kildare surveyed, Naas had the highest rate of commercial vacancies (15.5%), while Maynooth had the lowest at 9.1 per cent.

Nationally, the commercial vacancy rate dropped marginally by 0.1 percentage points year-on-year to 14.5 per cent in Q2 2026.

This is the first time the commercial vacancy rate has experienced an annual decline since GeoDirectory began reporting this data in 2013.

A total of 30,611 commercial properties were classified as vacant across the country in Q2 2026.

The highest commercial vacancy rates were concentrated in the West and North-West of the country.

Donegal recorded the highest vacancy rate in the State at 20.7 per cent, meaning more than one in five commercial properties in the county lie vacant.

Sligo also falls into the one in five category (20.2 per cent), while Galway (18.6 per cent), Leitrim and Limerick (both 18.1 per cent) made up the remainder of the top five highest county vacancy rates, with all five Connacht counties featuring in the top seven nationwide.

At the other end of the spectrum, Meath recorded the lowest commercial vacancy rate in the country at 9.9 per cent, the only county under the 10 per cent mark.

Wexford (11.2 per cent), Westmeath (12.0 per cent), Kerry (12.3 per cent), and Cavan (12.7 per cent) rounded out the counties with the lowest rates.

Only 13 counties had a rate below the national vacancy rate of 14.5 per cent.

In Dublin, the commercial vacancy rate stood at 13.3 per cent in Q2 2026, a 0.6 per cent reduction compared to Q2 2025, and below the national average of 14.5% per cent.

Nationally, Shannon, Co. Clare registered the highest commercial vacancy rate at 34.9 per cent, followed by Ballybofey, Co. Donegal at 34.5 per cent, and Boyle, Co. Roscommon at 30.1 per cent.

Carrigaline, Co. Cork (5.1%) and Greystones, Co. Wicklow (7.3%) recorded the lowest commercial vacancy rates among the sampled towns.

“The national commercial vacancy rate has edged down slightly to 14.5%, marking our first year-on-year drop since GeoDirectory began reporting on this data in 2013, the broader picture remains one of significant local variance,” said Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory.

“With over 30,611 commercial units lying vacant across the country and 13 counties still seeing vacancy increases, commercial property owners and local high streets need to continue to adapt to shifting consumer habits.” 

Simon MacAllister, EY Ireland, the consultancy who authored the Report said, “While the decline in the national rates is modest, it is significant as it marks a break from a long period of steadily rising commercial vacancies since 2013”.