Irish businesses are spending €329m per county on energy

Rising energy costs are a massive concern for businesses throughout Ireland, but the situation has been brewing for years.

Businesses in Ireland are spending on average €329m per year per county on energy costs – up 57% in a six-year period.

Examining the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office on energy spending between 2015 and 2021, Brosnan Facility Management has determined which counties in Ireland are spending the most on energy costs for their businesses.

It should come as no surprise that Co Dublin comes out on top of the spending list with an eye watering €5.25bn, an increase of over €1bn from 2015.

At the opposite end of the scale, Co Leitrim has spent €15m which is actually a decrease of €10m from the 2015 figures where €25m was spent.

The vast majority of counties and their businesses are spending more now, with the biggest increases in spending outside of Dublin occurring in Limerick (up €184m), Cork (up €121m) and Kildare (up €81m).

However there are a number of counties where businesses have decreased their energy spend. Longford and Wexford have both reduced spend by €20m, down from €45m and €108m respectively.

Other counties to see a dip in costs include Donegal, Galway and the aforementioned Leitrim. The only county to stay at the same level was Co Louth, with a spend of €137m.

“The numbers are quite staggering, but they shouldn’t really come as any surprise,” a spokesperson for Brosnan Facility Management said.

“We’re all aware of the steep increases in energy costs that have taken place in the last 18 months, but this data really shows that this increase was coming all along.

“Electricity costs were on a steep incline prior to this year and when you factor in things like gas, oil, fuel and other energy bills you can see how businesses would really be struggling at this moment in time.”