Limerick ranks sixth in chart of top business locations for 2018

LIMERICK city has been ranked sixth in top locations for business start-ups this year.

A new survey from Vision-Net.ie reveals the city has had 314 company formations this year to date. This is a 3% increase from the same period last year.

Dublin 2 and Dublin City lead the way with the most business registrations this year, the survey shows, with Cork, Galway, Kildare and Meath also appearing ahead of the Treaty City.

Meanwhile, a survey of more than 250 business owners and managers through Ireland reveal that four in every ten are still waiting to feel the positive impact of the improved economic fortunes.

Speaking of the findings, Marc O Dwyer, the chief executive of Big Red Cloud, who commissioned the survey, said: “We asked the same questions of business owners in 2016 and it was really interesting to see how things have moved on for some, but not for others. Eight per cent of SMEs have reported a change in their economic fortune for the better over the last two years. Worryingly, 40% revealed that they are still struggling – though encouragingly perhaps, 20% of these businesses believe they will be in a better position by the end of 2018.”

“Perhaps the sentiment might be even more positive in Limerick which ranked 6th in the top locations for start-ups YTD - with the most recent VisionNet figures showing that 314 companies were formed there in the city and county this year alone – 3.6% of all new companies,” he added.