Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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183. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to indicate the total number of jobs lost in the services sectors in each of the past five years to date in 2024; the number of new jobs created in the same period; the degree to which a positive trend has been established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30834/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department compiles data on the enterprise development agencies (Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta). The breakdown requested is not available economy-wide. Table 1 shows total employment gains, losses and net change in the services sector for all agency client companies. In the years 2019-2023 inclusive there have been 146,080 job gains, 89,957 job losses and a net change in employment of +56,123. Total employment in the services sector for agency client firms was 249,695 in 2023. Data for 2024 is not yet available.

Table 1: Employment gains, losses, net change in services sector, agency client companies, 2019-2023

Source: DETE Annual Employment Survey

Employment in the services sector has grown strongly in recent years. There was a negative net change in employment in 2023 due to headcount reductions in the IT services sector. We expect the services sector to return to growth in the years ahead.

The growth in employment in recent years reflects the continuing success of Ireland’s enterprise policy in sustaining and expending employment. To ensure that this momentum is maintained, my Department published the White Paper on Enterprise in December 2022, which sets out Government`s enterprise policy for the period through to 2030. The White Paper on Enterprise details how we will deliver on our ambition of a vibrant, resilient, regionally balanced and sustainable economy made up of a diversified mix of leading global companies, internationally competitive Irish enterprises and thriving local businesses. In particular, it seeks to ensure the continued creation of rewarding jobs and livelihoods across Ireland.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to indicate the number of jobs created in the manufacturing sector in each of the past five years to date in 2024; the future expectations for the continuation of the trend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30835/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Table 1 shows employment in the manufacturing sector In Ireland for the years 2018-2023. In the five year period since 2018 total employment has increased by 38,100 jobs to reach 287,800 jobs in 2023. Data for 2024 is not yet available.

Table 1: Employment in Manufacturing - 2018- 2023, €000s

Source: CSO, Labour Force Survey

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the official source of estimates of employment in the State.

The strong growth in employment in recent years reflects the continuing success of Ireland’s enterprise policy in sustaining and expending employment. To ensure that this momentum is maintained, my Department published the White Paper on Enterprise in December 2022, which sets out Government`s enterprise policy for the period through to 2030. The White Paper on Enterprise details how we will deliver on our ambition of a vibrant, resilient, regionally balanced and sustainable economy made up of a diversified mix of leading global companies, internationally competitive Irish enterprises and thriving local businesses. In particular, it seeks to ensure the continued creation of rewarding jobs and livelihoods across Ireland.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to indicate the number of indigenous jobs created in the manufacturing and services sectors in each of the past five years to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30836/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department compiles data on the enterprise development agencies (Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta). The breakdown requested is not available economy-wide. Table 1 shows employment in Irish owned enterprise agency client firms in the manufacturing sector. Over the five year period since 2018 total jobs have increased by 20,533 to reach 138,489 jobs in 2023. Data for 2024 is not yet available.

Table 1: Employment in Irish owned enterprise agency firms in manufacturing sector, 2018-2023

Source: DETE Annual Employment Survey

Table 2 shows employment in Irish owned enterprise agency client companies in the services sector. Over the five year period since 2018 total jobs have increased by 17,409 to reach 78,347 in 2023.

Table 2: Employment in Irish owned enterprise agency firms in services sector, 2018-2023

Government policies aimed at creating an attractive environment for both indigenous enterprise and foreign direct investment and enhancing the availability of talent to employers have resulted in record-breaking levels of job creation being achieved in the context of ongoing international economic and geopolitical turbulence, while initiatives such as Pathways to Work are helping to create a more inclusive labour market.

If this momentum is to be maintained, it will be essential that more people – particularly those in cohorts traditionally more distant from the labour market – are given the support they need to enter employment, ensuring in turn that Irish enterprise continues to have access to a pool of high-quality, adaptable and flexible talent.

To meet the demand for skills and to continue increasing participation in employment, there is close collaboration across Government, in particular between the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, its agencies and my own Department, as well as between Government, industry, and the education and training system more broadly, in order to continue building a highly skilled and inclusive workforce.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to indicate the number of indigenous jobs created through foreign direct investment in each of the past five years to date in 2024; the future expectations in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30837/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The total number of additional jobs created by IDA Ireland client companies from 2019 to 2023 inclusive is 46,950, bringing the total number of jobs in IDA client-companies to 300,583 at end 2023. For this year, IDA Ireland figures show that growth remains strong with IDA Ireland supporting a further 131 investments, 74 of which are planned for regional locations, enabling the future delivery of 8,900 jobs to the economy during the first half of 2024.

Regarding future expectations, Ireland continues to be recognised as a highly stable and attractive location for Foreign Direct Investment. However, Government does not take our success to date for granted, and we remain committed to ensuring the right polices are in place to facilitate the development of appropriate skills, infrastructure, and innovation to facilitate strong levels of FDI into the future.

To this end, my Department will continue its work with IDA Ireland to ensure a continuous flow of inward investment into Ireland as IDA Ireland continues to support a strong level of employment across the FDI sector, delivering competitiveness-enhancing, transformative investments concentrating on RD&I, digitalisation, sustainability and talent development to ensure the FDI pipeline remains robust. This work will be reflected in the IDA Ireland's next strategy to cover the period from 2025 onward. In parallel, Government will work to ensure the policies and strategies set out in the White Paper on Enterprise and in NDP investments under Project 2040 are delivered in support of enterprise development, both for Irish-Owned and FDI enterprises alike.

As requested, the numbers of jobs in IDA client companies over the last five years is provided in the table below.