The Geodirectory Commercial Building Report for the second quarter of 2023 has been released with particular interest for three Mayo towns.

The commercial vacancy rate for County Mayo is up on 17.3% in the year up to the end of Q3, an increase of 0.4% on the same time last year.

The national commercial vacancy rate is 14.1%.

Mayo comes in at fourth place nationally, with Sligo (19.9%), Galway (18%) and Donegal (17.9%) all ahead.

Connacht counties account for five of the top seven on the list, with Roscommon at 16.9% and Leitrim 0.1% behind.

Connacht has the highest commercial vacancy rate provincially at 17.9%, followed closest by 15.7% in Ulster.

In looking at the three Mayo towns that were part of the study, Ballina had Mayo’s highest commercial vacancy rate up to June.

Ballina comes in at 23.5%, which is fifth highest in Connacht.

Boyle is top of the list (27.6%), with Sligo town (25.4%), Tuam (24.8%) and Tubbercurry (24.5%) all ahead.

Westport came in at the lowest in Mayo on 12.6%, while Castlebar’s figure was 20.8%.