Agency on course for five-year jobs target

IDA IRELAND has said it remains on course to achieve its previously stated five-year target of over 100,000 new jobs by 2014, following a better-than-expected showing in 2010.

The agency, charged with attracting overseas investment to Ireland, said yesterday — as part of its 2010 results — that it won 126 foreign direct investments (FDI) last year, with nearly 11,000 new jobs being created.

The number of investments was up from 2009’s total of 119, while the new jobs figures marked a near 7,000 annual increase. The 11,000 new positions created also comfortably outweighed the IDA’s initial 2010 estimates of 7,000 jobs. Another highlight from yesterday’s figures was that 47 companies invested in Ireland for the first time last year, which represented an annual increase of 20%.