Forty one Irish co-ops were struck by the state Registry of Friendly Societies last year after failing to file their annual returns.
According to the registry’s annual report, the co-ops included included farms, community groups, heritage projects, tourism groups, group water schemes and forestry groups.
Co-ops are required to file returns each year by the registry, which looks after co-operatives, trade unions and friendly societies for the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
All organisations on the registry’s books are contacted each year, and reminded to file their reports. Last year, 44 co-ops were warned they had not done so as the deadline approached; three subsequently complied and 41 were struck off in November. Some of these may have ceased operation during the year, the report added.
Being struck off means losing the benefits of being a registered co-op, including limited liability which protects directors and officers from being sued personally.
In addition to the 41 co-ops struck off, eight asked to be removed, one went into liquidation, one demutualised into a company and two merged with other co-ops.
The number of registered co-op in Ireland stood at 920 at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Ireland has 46 friendly societies.
The cancelled societies are: Caher Group Water Scheme Co-op, Aherlow Feeds Society, Clonmell Foods, St Connell’s Museum and Heritage Centre Society, Training Co-operative Society, Annamult-Ennisnag Group Water Scheme Co-op, Wicklow Housing Co-op, North Leitrim Vegetable Growers Association, Athea and District Forestry Co-op, Lough Errill Group Water Scheme Co-op, Third Space Co-op, Western Waves Community Radio Co-op, Mindfully Well Co-op, Recovery Academy of Ireland Co-op, Mayoabbey Village Group Water Scheme Co-op, IMO Indigenes Ireland Co-op, Templederry Community Development Co-op, All & Everything Co-op, Timber Kilkenny Co-op, Clonakilty Chicken Farmers Co-op, Trim Heritage Project Co-op, Rosbeg Fisherman’s Co-op, Crafters Corner Co-op, Irish Society of Physician Associates, Forest Owners Co-op, Resonate Beyond Streaming, ‘An Meitheal’ Co-op, Priceville Society, Hope and Homes Co-op, Comharchumann Gleann an Laoi Teoranta, Mean Scoil San Nioclas Teoranta, Wexford Pig Co-op, East Clare Co-operative Agricultural Society, Fearglass Group Water Society, Commercial Cattle Exhibitors Society, Irish Pedigree Pig Breeding Society, Tipperary Multeen Tourism Co-op, Ferdia Farmers Co-op, Irish Pedigree Cattle Breeders Society, Birr Festival Society and Irish Pig Society.
