The Companies Registration Office (CRO) has recently published its annual report for 2024, with interesting takeaways including; 

• The CRO launched a new website on 3rd April 2024, replacing the old site which was 2 days away from its 25th anniversary. The new site is a modernised and redesigned version, with an emphasis on compliance with forthcoming accessibility legislation. The website has streamlined the information on the site, has updated the content, and standardised the presentation.
• 96% of submissions filed with CRO were filed electronically.

• In last year’s 2023 Annual report, we were told that the issues that arose in relation to recommencing involuntary strike off were connected to the publication of the CRO Gazettes.
• On the 29th of January 2024, the CRO became aware of an IT issue which resulted in a cohort of companies not being listed for impending strike-off in the CRO Gazettes which had been published on 22nd and 29th November 2023. These companies were subsequently involuntarily struck off the Register of Companies on 26th January and 2nd February 2024. Upon receipt of legal advice, it was clarified that the strike-off process in relation to these companies was invalid and the status of these companies was returned to normal on the Register. CRO communicated directly with all the affected companies.
• A total of 6,737 companies were struck off voluntarily in 2024, which is an increase on the figure of 6,227 in 2023

• A limited programme of enforcement, aimed at companies without any registered directors, commenced in late 2024 with the first strike offs taking place in early 2025.

• In keeping with the trend of previous years, the number of new companies incorporated continues to significantly exceed the number of companies leaving the register. This has been the case for some years, although the impact was exacerbated by the lengthy suspension of involuntary strike offs for failure to file annual returns.
• In 2024, the number of new companies incorporated was 23,652, compared to 22,384 in 2023 and 21,434 in 2022, showing a 5.7% increase.
• 324,531 Irish companies were in existence on the register at the end of the year, in comparison to the 306,559 Irish companies listed on the register at the end of 2023, resulting in 566,827 submissions being filed with the CRO during 2024. Private limited by shares companies make up 88.39% of all companies on the register.
• In 2024, a total of 320 companies re-registered, a decrease on the figure of 393 in 2023. The most common registrations being ULC, LTD and DAC.

• There were 181 new external company registrations in 2024, 37 EEA and 144 non-EEA. This compares to 192 external company registrations in 2023.

• There were 273,376 annual returns received in the CRO in 2024.

• The increase trend in number of Companies who make applications to the High Court or District Court under S.343(5) continues with the CRO receiving 1,938 notices of application in 2024 compared to1299 in 2023 and 879 in 2022.

• The CRO issued 1,858Letters of Acknowledgment/No Objection
• 5 applicants received objections lodged by the CRO
• 1,749 Orders which were granted the District Court/High Court were processed by the CRO
• No applications were refused by the court
• 14 applications were withdrawn
• 231 applications were adjourned from 2024 to 2025

• During 2024 a total of 47 companies were restored to the register, a decrease on the 62 restored in 2023. This is continuing to follow the trend we have seen in recent years as in 2020 the number of restorations was 140.
• 25 were Court ordered restorations and 22 were administrative restorations.

What to expect in 2025?

It is expected in the coming months that the pause involuntary for the failure to file annual return will recommence, along with the involuntary strike offs of companies who have not filed with the RBO, have not updated their Registered Office Address, or who have no Secretary appointed. With that and from the trends we have seen in our office, there will be a significant increase in companies applying to the high court and district court for extensions of time to file their annual returns and voluntary strike offs.

Section 22 of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024 was commenced on 16th July 2025, which provides for a change to the current audit exemption regime.

Effective from midnight 15/07/2025, if a company files late for one year after this date, they pay late fees only and do not lose audit exemption. 

However, if a company files late in the 5 years subsequent to this late filing, they will have to file audited accounts for the two years following that future late filing.

Section 363(2)(b) confirms that if a company files late after the commencement date, any late filing before the commencement date will be disregarded when deciding if audited accounts are required, effectively wiping the slate clean and allowing them to avail of the new rules.

If a company has filed late before this date, the audit requirement for the following two years annual return still applies.

The remaining provisions of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024relate to a variety of administrative and filing matters relating to the CRO and will be commenced later in 2025.More information on this can be found here.

Miscellaneous Items

If you require assistance or advice, please contact our Company Secretarial team on 053 91 000 00 or email [email protected]

The contents of this article are meant as a guide only and are not a substitute for professional advice. The authors accept no responsibility for any action taken, or refrained from, as a result of the material contained in this document. Specific advice should be obtained before acting or refraining from acting, in connection with the matters dealt with in this article.