IDA: Scope for development in 2013

IDA chief executive Barry O'Leary has said there is scope for further development in the year ahead.

It comes after it was announced that IDA companies created more than 6,500 extra jobs in the economy last year, representing the highest level in more than a decade.

In its annual report the agency, which is responsible for attracting foreign direct investment, reported the creation of 12,700 new jobs while at the same time almost 6,200 jobs were lost in IDA companies.

More than 40% of the new investments announced last year were from companies coming to Ireland for the first time.

The biggest investments were made by US companies Apple, PayPal, Northern Trust, and EA Games.

Mr O'Leary said: "In financial services, there's a lot of consolidation taking place around the world - a number of banks have consolidations in technology and operations hubs.

"You would have seen some of the projects I mentioned there - the likes of the Northern Trusts or the Mastercard, or Fidelity, in particular.

"So there are some opportunities, but our equivalents in other developments agencies would be saying that as well."