21% drop in number starting new businesses here last year

There was a 21% drop in the number of people starting new businesses in Ireland, last year, latest figures show.

However, despite “only” 19,000 entrepreneurs establishing new start-up enterprises in 2012 — down from a total of 24,000 in 2011 — the actual quality of new firms is improving.

That is according to the latest edition of the annual Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for Ireland — which is conducted by Fitzsimons Consulting and supported by Enterprise Ireland, Forfás and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.