DUBLIN: Enterprise Ireland, the agency responsible for developing Irish business globally, has revealed a 9% increase of jobs in its Limerick client companies.
A total of 8,269 people are now employed by firms supported by the agency in Limerick alone.
Nationally, a total of 19,332 new jobs were created by companies supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2017.
Some 209,388 people are now employed in companies supported by the agency, the highest total employment achieved in the history of the agency.
Two thirds of the new jobs in 2017 were created were outside Dublin. The west, mid-west and north west saw the largest level of increases at 7% in 2017.
Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sinnamon said the figures represent “another year of strong performance by our client companies who now employ over 209,000 people and are a barometer of the robust health of Irish businesses. Despite the challenge and uncertainty created by Brexit, Irish companies have continued to grow their global exports, supporting strong job creation across all of the regions of Ireland.”
In Limerick, the net change in jobs in the county is 664 last year, when job losses are also taken into account. In Tipperary, there was an increase of 427 in jobs to 5,907. In Clare, there was a net increase of 136 jobs, up to 3,709.
The highest percentage increase in jobs across the country, 12% was recorded in Co Leitrim, whose Enterprise Ireland backed roles now stand at 559, up 61 from last year.
