8 - Urban Centres & Retail

Chapter 8 - Urban Centres & Retail

Retail is the single biggest private sector employer in the country, with around 300,000 employed in every village, town and city across Ireland and generating around €7 billion in tax revenue for the state every year. The economic activity generated in retail in turn supports local suppliers, producers and the wider economy.

The sector is facing many challenges including an increase in online shopping, impacts on distribution from brexit and the ongoing consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic including an increase in vacancy levels in our towns and villages thoughout the county. Retailing is a fundamental element of town and village centre activity and it is important that these centres maintain, reinsate and improve retailing as a core function which this chapter seeks to address.

See Chapter 8