4th October 2019
Companies supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta reported full and part-time employment of over 454,569 jobs in 2018, their highest ever level, accounting for approximately 32% of total business employment in Ireland. There was a 5.2% increase in total employment in agency client companies since 2017, an increase of 22,328 jobs.
There were 241,088 employed in the foreign-owned and 213,481 in Irish-owned agency assisted companies in 2018. Employment in foreign-owned firms increased by 6.3% since 2017, with 14,280 additional jobs. In Irish-owned firms, employment increased by 3.9%, with an increase of 8,048 jobs since 2017.
The net change in full-time employment in foreign-owned firms amounted to 12,678 jobs in 2018, which was lower than the peak over the decade of 13,319 jobs in 2016. Gross job gains at 21,293 were lower than the 2017 level of 22,914 and job losses at 8,615 were lower than the 2017 level of 10,384. In Irish-owned firms, the net job change in full-time employment at 8,601 was lower than the peak over the decade of 10,585 jobs in 2015. Gross job gains of 15,308 were lower than the 2017 level of 17,561 jobs. Gross job losses of 6,707 in 2018 were lower than the 2017 level of 8,113.
By sector, among foreign-owned companies, the fastest growing sectors were in services. ICT Services increased its share of full-time employment from 29% to 38% between 2009-2018, so that it is now well over a third of total foreign owned employment in the country. Business, Financial and Other Services have marginally increased from 13% to 16%. Food, Drink and Tobacco dropped from 6% to 3%. Among Irish-owned firms, Business, Financial and Other Services marginally increased from 19% to 20% of full-time employment and ICT services increased from 11% to 14%. Therefore, the Services sectors have increased their share to just over one third. Among Irish owned firms Total Industry has declined from 70% to 66%, however, Food has remained the same with 22%.
Growth in employment was recorded in all eight regions between 2009-2018, though the share of each region in total employment changed. Over 60% of full-time employment in foreign-owned companies was in the Dublin (43%) and South West (18%) regions, and these regions also showed the highest employment growth since 2009, with over 70% growth in both regions. For Irish-owned firms, 47% of full-time employment was in the Dublin (33%) and South West (14%) regions. Employment growth was highest in the Midlands and South West regions since 2009, with 38% and 34% growth respectively.
For more information see Annual Employment Survey 2018
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