Enterprise Ireland companies created nearly 20,000 jobs in 2022

10 Jan 2023

Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy speaking at International Markets Week 2022 with Winthrop Engineering’s Anne Dooley and Pestle & Mortar’s Sonia Deasy. Image: Maxwell Photography

The latest employment growth figures mark a 5pc net increase in jobs over 2021, which was a record year for the agency.

Enterprise Ireland client companies created 19,660 new jobs in 2022, with particularly strong growth in the technology and services sector.

Latest figures published by the state agency and announced by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney, TD today (10 January) show that the growth marks a 5pc net increase (10,841) in jobs over 2021 and brings total employment by client companies to 218,178.

Coveney also announced that more than two-thirds (68pc) of the total jobs are based outside the Dublin region – representing nearly 150,000 people contributing to local and regional economies.

“The employment base in Ireland is already strong as further evidenced by the substantial jobs figures announced today by Enterprise Ireland,” Coveney said, noting that 2021 was already a record year for employment creation.

“To see a further 5pc increase in total employment in 2022 shows the potential we have to continue to go from strength to strength. But we must not be complacent, and we need to continue to focus on the right things to further build the resilience of business and to keep innovation at the heart of that.”

Other than technology and services, which grew by 8pc, some of the other sectors that saw growth are industrial and life sciences (5pc) and food and sustainability (3pc).

Strong employment growth was reported in specific sub-sectors such as climate, sustainability and agritech (13pc), digital technology (9pc), high-tech construction and housing (6pc), as well as fintech and financial services (6pc).

Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy said the 5pc net growth figure compares favourably with the latest CSO labour force survey last year, which showed an increased of 3.4pc in total employment in Ireland.

“Supporting Irish-owned companies to achieve greater scale and expand their global footprint is a priority for Enterprise Ireland in 2023 and we are committed to supporting Irish companies on their journey to become global leaders in their field,” Clancy said.

“This will ensure that Irish enterprise continues to create and sustain jobs, providing a platform for strong economic growth into the future.”

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Vish Gain is a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com