Foreign firms creating jobs

THE number of new people employed in Irish-based foreign direct investment companies jumped by more than 56% last year compared to 2007, despite the global economic downturn.

New figures released by Ernst and Young found that in 2008, more than 6,300 jobs were created from foreign direct investment, compared to just over 4,000 a year previously.

The firm’s seventh annual country attractiveness survey said the figures mean Ireland is among the nine most successful countries for multi-national investment, with a 35% increase in the number of foreign-funded projects last year compared to 2007.