Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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9. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to detail jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland between 2020 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21587/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland recently published its 2024 jobs results which show that EI supported companies recorded jobs growth for the third year in a row, despite what was a challenging year for some sectors of exporting Irish businesses.

Employment in companies supported by EI increased to a record level of 234,454 in 2024 with 15,741 new jobs created, an increase of 3% on the 2023 outturn. Employment increased across EI’s three core economic sectors - Technology & Services, Industrial and Life Sciences and Food and Sustainability.

This growth translates into a net increase of over 6,000 jobs in 2024. Balanced regional development is being achieved in terms of both new jobs created and total employment, with 64% of EI supported new jobs based outside Dublin and all nine regions recording jobs growth.

This compares to the 2020 position, when Enterprise Ireland supported companies employed 220,613 people. Employment figures declined to 207,894 in 2021 due to the significant impact of COVID on the business environment. The record numbers of people that are now employed in Enterprise Ireland supported businesses is a testament to the continued resilience of the Irish enterprise community given the many significant challenges that have been faced in recent years.

Enterprise Ireland's strategy for the 2025 - 2029 period sets a target of 275,000 jobs in EI supported companies by 2029 and outlines the actions that EI will take to support the sustainable growth and development of Irish businesses during this period. I have full confidence in the capability of Irish owned businesses to continue to grow and meet the challenges they face in the years ahead.