8th August 2018
Over 428,000 jobs in Agency Supported Companies
Companies supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta reported full and part-time employment of 428,031 in 2017, their highest ever level, accounting for approximately 29% of total business employment in Ireland.
The Annual Employment Survey 2017 also shows there was a 5.2% increase in total employment in agency client companies since 2016, an increase of 21,165 jobs.
There was 223,148 employed in the foreign-owned and 204,883 in Irish-owned agency assisted companies in 2017. Employment in foreign-owned firms increased by 5.3% since 2016, with over 11,200 additional jobs. In Irish-owned firms, employment increased by 5.1%, with an increase of 9,907 jobs since 2016.
Commenting on the results, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, said:
“I warmly welcome the results of the Annual Employment Survey, which show another year of strong employment performance in companies supported by our enterprise agencies. The Government’s economic and enterprise policies are translating into job creation throughout the country. Nationally we have seen unemployment fall from a high of 16% in 2012 to 5.1% today. There are now more people at work in Ireland than ever before however we can never become complacent. In this regard, I continue to work with my Ministerial colleagues, in partnership with our enterprise agencies, to ensure that the hard-won job gains of recent years are sustained for the long term.”
Ends
Notes for Editors:
Read the annual employment survey here.
By sector, among foreign-owned companies, the fastest growing sectors were in internationally-traded services. ICT Services increased its share of full-time employment from 30% to 36% between 2008-2017, so that it is now well over a third of total foreign-owned employment in the country. Business, Financial and Other Services have grown employment from 12% to 16%. Food and Drink employment dropped from 5% to 3% and the rest of the manufacturing sectors (excluding Food, Chemicals, Medical Devices, Computer, Electronic and Optical Equipment) fell from 16% to 10%. Among Irish-owned firms, Business, Financial and Other Services increased its share of employment from 17% to 20% and ICT services increased from 10% to 14%. Therefore, the Services sectors have increased their share of employment to just over one third. Food increased its share from 23% to 24%. The rest of the manufacturing sectors (excluding Basic Metals, Construction, Machinery and Equipment, & Medical Devices) decreased its share of employment from 29% to 23%.
The net change in full-time employment in foreign-owned firms amounted to 10,739 jobs in 2017, which was lower than the peak over the decade of 13,420 jobs in 2016. Gross job gains at 19,445 were lower than the 2016 level of 20,984 and job losses at 8,706 were slightly higher than in 2016. In Irish-owned firms, the net job change in full-time employment at 8,630 was lower than the peak over the decade of 9,932 jobs in 2015. Gross job gains of 14,518 were lower than the 2015 level of 17,463 jobs. Gross job losses of 5,888 in 2016 were the lowest over the 10-year period.
About DBEI
The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) plays a key role in implementing the Government’s policies of stimulating the productive capacity of the economy and creating an environment which supports job creation and maintenance. The Department also has a remit to promote fair competition in the marketplace, protect consumers and safeguard workers.
For further information please contact Press Office, D/Business, Enterprise and Innovation, press.office@dbei.gov.ie or (01) 631-2200
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