State agency helps create 3,800 jobs

Enterprise Ireland supported the creation of 3,804 jobs in 2012, the agency’s most successful year since 2006.

Over the same period the state agency provided industry in Ireland with €254m in financial support.

Enterprise Ireland said the support sustains 300,000 Irish jobs and the companies contribute €18bn to the economy.

The finance helped companies create 13,600 jobs last year, which resulted in a net employment gain of 3,800.

Enterprise Ireland said this was the highest net gain for Irish companies since 2006.

The agency’s annual statement said total direct employment in client companies stood at 172,500 in 2012, of which 147,000 are full-time jobs, while 25,500 are part-time jobs.

The agency said that for every job it supports, the economic activity it generates creates another job.

Chief executive Frank Ryan said the body was extremely proud of its record on job creation.

“We are extremely proud of the companies we work with and their contribution to the Irish State. They have proved to be resilient and relentless in their pursuit of new market opportunities and they are to be commended on their success,” he said.

“Enterprise Ireland is determined to continue to support their job-creation initiatives and identify and help secure overseas business in established and high-growth markets. This will not only assist growth in exporting businesses, but local economies in every county in Ireland,” he said.

Enterprise Ireland’s biggest success last year was the Kerry Group announcing plans to establish a global food innovation centre of excellence in Naas, Co Kildare, creating 900 jobs in a move estimated to be worth over €100m.

Despite these jobs being based in the greater Dublin area, Enterprise Ireland said 73% of the jobs created last year were outside of the Dublin mid-east region.

Last year a number of indigenous companies were acquired by multinationals such as Curam (acquired by IBM), Polarlake (acquired by Bloomberg), OmniPay (acquired by First Data Corp) and Magnetic Solutions (acquired by Tokyo Electron Ltd).

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said Enterprise Ireland’s record was commendable.

“Despite these very difficult times, to have highest net gains in employment in the companies it supports, is a commendable performance,” Mr Bruton said.

“Although 2013 will be another difficult year, this Government is determined to continually improve our supports to domestic job-creating businesses through improvements in access to finance and reductions in costs.”