Enterprise Ireland Businesses Achieve Record Employment

Employment in companies supported by government agency Enterprise Ireland increased by 5,442 in 2013.

The news comes as Enterprise Ireland releases its end of year report. The gain in employment is the highest in the last decade.

Enterprise Ireland-supported companies now account for more than 300,000 jobs in the Irish economy, or 16% of the total workforce.

Total direct employment in Enterprise Ireland client companies stood at 175,750 in 2013. 149,718 are full-time jobs, while 26,032 are part-time.

Julie Sinnamon, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland said: "The performance of Enterprise Ireland client companies over the past year is very heartening. Once again, they have continued to increase employment, recording the highest net gain in the last decade. This is no mean achievement considering the highly challenging business environment they are competing in. Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for 2014-2016 is very clearly focussed on making sure that they are supported in every way possible to continue this upwards growth. Our priority is to support entrepreneurship across the regions, and develop strong, export focussed, ambitious Irish companies that can win new business and jobs for Ireland."

Employment Minister Richard Bruton said: "At the heart of the Action Plan for Jobs is our determination to create a powerful engine of exporting Irish business. That is why we have doubled the number of trade missions, established new supports for exporting companies, protected the Enterprise Ireland capital budget and secured agreement for the recruitment of 20 additional staff in overseas markets despite constrained budgets. This demonstrates the commitment of Government to the exporting Irish businesses which are so crucial to our economic and employment recovery."

(IT/CD)