The number of new businesses starting-up in Ireland has slipped by almost 20 per cent this year, according to new figures from the Bank of Ireland. The total number of company registrations in the State has reached 6,627 this year, compared to 8,207 during the same period in 2008.

The figures from the bank’s Start-up Barometer show a 3.3 per cent drop in registrations in the second quarter compared with the first quarter this year.

Dublin recorded the highest levels of new businesses with almost half the firms being established in the capital during the period.