Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The Quarterly number of new entered legal units in the register at any time during the reference quarter, according to the respective administrative or legal procedure.
Bankruptcies:
The Quarterly number of legal units that have started the procedure of being declared bankrupt, by issuing a court declaration, at any time during the reference quarter q (which is often provisional and does not always mean cessation of an activity).
3.2. Classification system
Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, Rev. 2 (2008) (i.e. NACE Rev. 2).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activity coverage: Sections B to S, with the exception of section O and division S94, based on NACE Rev.2.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Registrations:
Registration data it is taken from Quarterly administrative data collected from revenue.
Bankruptcies:
We are using Companies Registration Office data to derive bankruptcies, based on a company being in one of the following categories for a given period:
In Liquidation,
In Administration, or
In Examinership
We are using these categories as a proxy for the number of bankruptcies.
3.5. Statistical unit
Legal Unit.
3.6. Statistical population
Activity coverage: Sections B to S, with the exception of section O and division S94, based on NACE Rev.2.
The source of the data for Registrations is taken from Quarterly administrative data collected from revenue.
Companies Registration Office data is used to derive bankruptcies.
3.7. Reference area
The Republic of Ireland.
3.8. Coverage - Time
2021 was the 1st year the registrations was compiled, 2022 for Bankruptcies. Data is compiled for every Q from those dates forward.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable because data are sent in absolute figures.
The number of registrations and declarations of bankruptcies.
Registrations and declarations of bankruptcies refer to one quarter.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
All statistics are collected under the Statistics Act, CSO 1993.
This survey is carried out to satisfy EU requirements on Short-Term Statistics Regulation- Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Section 34 of the 1993 Statistics Act states; The office may provide, for statistical purposes only, information obtained in any way under this Act or the repealed enactments, in such form that it cannot be directly or indirectly related to an identifiable person or undertaking, to such persons and subject to such charges, conditions and restrictions as the Director General may determine.
Short-Term Statistics Regulation- Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The data collected is treated as strictly confidential in accordance with the Statistics Act, 1993. The provision of statistical confidentiality is regulated by Sections 32 and 33 of the 1993 Statistics Act. These state:
Section 32: All information furnished by a person, undertaking or public authority under this Act shall be used only for statistical compilation and analysis purposes.
Section 33: No information obtained in any way under this Act or the repealed enactments which can be related to an identifiable person or undertaking shall, except with the written consent of that person or undertaking or the personal representative or next-of-kin of a deceased person, be disseminated, shown or communicated to any person or body except as follows: for the purpose of a prosecution for an offence under this Act; to officers of statistics in the course of their duties under this Act; for the purposes of recording such information solely for the use of the office in such form and manner as is provided for by a contract in writing made by the Director General which protects its confidentiality to his satisfaction.
The office may, for statistical purpose only, assign codes derived from information collected under this Act classifying undertakings listed in the administrative systems of other public authorities by economic activity and size (persons engaged) categories.
The Taoiseach (the head of government of Ireland) may by order prescribe such further prohibitions on the disclosure of identifiable records or information obtained under this Act or the repealed enactments for such periods as may be prescribed. Nothing in the act shall be construed to require any person or undertaking to provide information in relation to a matter on which information was sought in circumstances that would entitle the person or undertaking to decline to give the information in a civil proceeding in any court or on grounds of privilege.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
All data are treated as strictly confidential in accordance with Part V of the Statistics Act, 1993. In order to ensure confidentiality, NACE Groups are amalgamated where companies are identifiable due to their size. Data cannot be accessed under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997. Data are not disclosed by the CSO to any other Government department or outside body.
8.1. Release calendar
This data is just submitted to Eurostat and isn't published nationally.
8.2. Release calendar access
The four month advance calendar and the weekly release calendar can be accessed on the CSO website: Release calendar
8.3. Release policy - user access
This data is just submitted to Eurostat and isn't published nationally.
The data is disseminated Quarterly to Eurostat.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
No CSO releases.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No CSO Data is published.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
No CSO Data is published.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
No CSO Data is published.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
QBD data (absolute values) are transmitted to Eurostat within 40 days after the reference period. Transmission is done by eDAMIS using the SDMX format.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
No CSO Data is published.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
No CSO Data is published.
11.1. Quality assurance
Quality assurance is managed by ADC (administrative data centre) which is a quality team within the national statistics office.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Managed by an Administrative data centre team.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Users include Eurostat and anyone who takes data from Eurostat - Economists, Researchers and Academics, Professional Bodies, General Public etc.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not applicable.
12.3. Completeness
Completeness on data submission regards time & content is up to date.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Regards Registrations, each Q the provisional data from the previous 2 Qs is revised on the receipt of late data submissions from the administrative data source.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
EU regulation requires us to provide quarterly registrations data from now on, 40 days after the end of each quarter. The closest we have to Registration date would be the date of commencement of Revenue numbers associated with an EN. Thus, if an EN has a VAT, PREM and CT number, the registration date of the EN would be the earliest of these three commencement dates. So what we're looking for is the EN's that have their earliest commencement date in the reference quarter. If VAT was registered in Q1, PREM in Q2 and CT in Q4, you would take Q1.
14.2. Punctuality
Delivered on time.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Cross check with number of registrations for the business register each Quarter.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The closest we have to Registration date would be the date of commencement of Revenue numbers associated with an EN. As data is due 40 days after the reference quarter, this data is provisional and reflects around a third of the final value. Finalised data can be sent 2 quarters after the reference period.
The same revision policy is applied nationally and in the transmission of data to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
As data is due 40 days after the reference quarter, this data is provisional and reflects around a third of the final value. Finalised data can be sent 2 quarters after the reference period. When sending estimates, we apply growth rates based on the provisional previous 3 quarters.
18.1. Source data
Registrations:
Registration data it is taken from Quarterly administrative data which is collected from revenue.
Bankruptcies:
We are using Companies Registration Office data to derive bankruptcies.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Every Quarter.
18.3. Data collection
Data is collected from Administrative data sources.
18.4. Data validation
Validation is done by ADC and the Business Register team.
18.5. Data compilation
No weights applied/Imputation, direct data from administrative sources is used.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No comments.
Registrations:
The Quarterly number of new entered legal units in the register at any time during the reference quarter, according to the respective administrative or legal procedure.
Bankruptcies:
The Quarterly number of legal units that have started the procedure of being declared bankrupt, by issuing a court declaration, at any time during the reference quarter q (which is often provisional and does not always mean cessation of an activity).
28 April 2025
Registrations:
Registration data it is taken from Quarterly administrative data collected from revenue.
Bankruptcies:
We are using Companies Registration Office data to derive bankruptcies, based on a company being in one of the following categories for a given period:
In Liquidation,
In Administration, or
In Examinership
We are using these categories as a proxy for the number of bankruptcies.
Legal Unit.
Activity coverage: Sections B to S, with the exception of section O and division S94, based on NACE Rev.2.
The source of the data for Registrations is taken from Quarterly administrative data collected from revenue.
Companies Registration Office data is used to derive bankruptcies.
The Republic of Ireland.
Registrations and declarations of bankruptcies refer to one quarter.
Regards Registrations, each Q the provisional data from the previous 2 Qs is revised on the receipt of late data submissions from the administrative data source.
The number of registrations and declarations of bankruptcies.
No weights applied/Imputation, direct data from administrative sources is used.
Registrations:
Registration data it is taken from Quarterly administrative data which is collected from revenue.
Bankruptcies:
We are using Companies Registration Office data to derive bankruptcies.
The data is disseminated Quarterly to Eurostat.
EU regulation requires us to provide quarterly registrations data from now on, 40 days after the end of each quarter. The closest we have to Registration date would be the date of commencement of Revenue numbers associated with an EN. Thus, if an EN has a VAT, PREM and CT number, the registration date of the EN would be the earliest of these three commencement dates. So what we're looking for is the EN's that have their earliest commencement date in the reference quarter. If VAT was registered in Q1, PREM in Q2 and CT in Q4, you would take Q1.
