There has been a fall in the number of job projects secured by IDA Ireland this year compared to 2023, the agency said today.
The organisation said it won 234 projects in 2024 which will generate 13,500 jobs in the coming years.
That was down on last year when it announced 248 projects resulting in 19,000 jobs in the future.
There are now 302,566 people employed in IDA client companies, which is a net increase of 601 on last year.
It means about 11% of Ireland’s workforce are in multinationals, supported by the state body.
2024 is the third year in a row the number of jobs in IDA client companies has remained above 300,000.
Despite the uncertain future with potential tax changes and tariffs proposed by incoming US president Donald Trump, the IDA says Ireland continues to be attractive to international investors.
It said that there was “strong balanced regional development” throughout 2024 with 59% of foreign direct investment outside Dublin.
There was also a record level of research and development investment valued at €1.9 billion across 64 projects.
“Job growth was recorded in modern manufacturing and traditional manufacturing, up 0.8% and 0.4% respectively. Business, financial and other services also reported an increase (1.7%) whilst information, communication & technology saw numbers decline (1.2%),” IDA Ireland said today.
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said the stability in employment levels by foreign direct investment clients highlights the sector’s resilience and consistent growth, ensuring job security and economic impact.
He said the significant level of capital investments into Ireland in the past 12 months from FDI crucially inject substantial capital into the country, stimulating growth and leading to the creation of highly skilled employment opportunities across the country.
“Such investments signal strong confidence in Ireland’s economic environment, underpinning a positive business climate and emphasising the nation’s attractiveness as a prime location for global investment,” the IDA CEO said.
“Not only do these investments catalyse immediate economic benefits, but they also pave the way for sustained long-term growth and development,” he added.