merrion street

Minister Richard Bruton with Barry O’Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland and Frank Ryan, Chairman, IDA Ireland

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton today welcomed the news that IDA Ireland has reported the creation of 13,367 new jobs by client companies during 2013. When job losses are taken into account, the net increase in employment was 7,071, the highest level of job creation in over a decade.

Total employment at IDA client companies now stands at 161,112 people, the highest level in the history of IDA Ireland.

The number of investments was especially strong in 2013, with 164 projects won for Ireland. Of these, 78 came from companies investing in Ireland for the first time (a rise of 18% on the previous year), with 59 expansions and 27 Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) projects.

Minister Bruton said:

Today’s results show that 2013 was another record year for multinational companies, with targets exceeded and an increase of over 7000 jobs. This is the third year in a row that jobs growth has exceeded previous records, and huge credit is owed to IDA Ireland and Barry O’Leary on repeatedly exceeding targets and delivering these records in the face of increasing international competition.

Multinational companies have played a major role in the 3% employment growth we have seen across the economy in the past year. Every 10 jobs created in multinational companies lead to approximately 7 jobs being created elsewhere in the economy in supply and service businesses. There are now two main challenges – to continue and accelerate the growth in multinational companies here, and to maximise the positive impact of these companies on the rest of the Irish economy.