Foreign firms created 45% fewer jobs in 2009

JOBS created by foreign companies plunged by 45% last year as Ireland slipped in a ranking of its attractiveness as a location for investment.

Ireland dropped one place to tenth in a list of the most attractive destinations for foreign direct investment in Europe in 2009, according to the annual Ernst & Young European attractiveness survey.

The number of jobs created by foreign direct investment firms in 2009 fell by 45% to 3,461 from the previous year. Ireland has a 3% share of the foreign direct investment jobs in Europe. Technology and financial services made up over 40% of all FDI jobs in 2009.