4th July 2013
Ireland’s enterprise development agencies cumulatively created nearly 9,000 net jobs in 2012, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD announced today Thursday. The figures are contained within the Forfás 2012 Annual Employment Survey which is published today and examines full-time and part-time employment levels in all companies assisted by the four development agencies, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Forfás publishes Annual Employment Survey
4 July 2013
Ireland’s enterprise development agencies cumulatively created nearly 9,000 net jobs in 2012, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD announced today [Thursday]. The figures are contained within the Forfás 2012 Annual Employment Survey which is published today and examines full-time and part-time employment levels in all companies assisted by the four development agencies, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The results for 2012 were positive, continuing the trend in 2011 of recovery and job creation. Total permanent full-time employment in agency-assisted companies operating in all sectors amounted to 294,785 in 2012, a net increase of 8,975 jobs (+3.1 per cent) on employment levels in 2011 and continues the trend of positive growth in employment following three consecutive years of employment losses between 2007 and 2010. Gross job gains for 2012 were 26,005, which is slightly down on the 2011 figure of 27,201 (-4.4 per cent). However, encouragingly, gross job losses (at 17,030) were at their lowest level for more than a decade.
Total full-time employment among Irish-owned companies amounted to 144,964 in 2012, an increase of 3,228 jobs (+2.3 per cent) on the previous year. Among foreign-owned companies, total full-time employment amounted to 149,821 in 2012, an increase of 5,747 (+4 per cent) on the previous year. Foreign-owned part-time employment also increased, by almost 600 jobs jobs (+3.4 per cent) in 2012, whilst Irish-owned part-time employment levels increased marginally.
All regions saw increases in employment levels over 2011, giving a consecutive year of employment growth for all four regions.
The sectoral employment breakdown shows evidence of continuing structural change in agency-assisted companies towards the services sectors. A total of 50,031 full-time jobs were recorded in the Irish-owned services sector in 2012, with a net gain of 2,124 jobs (+4.3 per cent) over 2011. A total of 69,110 full-time jobs were recorded in the foreign-owned services sector in 2012, with a very substantial net gain of 4,248 jobs (+6.5 per cent) over 2011.
Total full-time jobs in the Irish–owned industrial sector amounted to 94,933 in 2012 with a total net gain of 1,104 jobs (1.16 per cent) since 2011. The sector with the most significant net jobs gains in Irish-owned firms was food (+1,224 jobs; 3.8 per cent).
In the foreign-owned industrial sector, total full-time jobs amounted to 80,711 in 2012 with a total net gain of 1,499 jobs (+1.9 per cent) since 2011. The sector with the most significant net jobs gains in foreign-owned firms were computer, electronic and optical equipment (483 jobs; +3.4 per cent).
Commenting on today’s survey Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said: “This Government’s top priority is job-creation, and a key part of our plan to deliver jobs growth is supporting strong increases in employment in the agency-supported sector. The complete figures for 2012 published today by Forfas tally with other data we have seen on job-creation, and show that last year saw extremely strong jobs growth in a very challenging global environment, as well as the lowest level of job losses in over a decade.
“In the twelve months since we launched the Action Plan for Jobs, an average of 2,000 jobs per month have been created in the private sector, coming on after three years 2008-2010 when 7,500 jobs were lost per month. I am determined to build on this performance and deliver on our plan to get our economy back on the right path to sustainable, exporting, innovative and enterprise led growth that can provide the jobs we so badly need”.
Commenting, Martin D. Shanahan, Chief Executive, Forfás said: “The enterprise development agencies continued to secure new investments, employment in client companies and export growth in 2012. This is a clear indicator that our enterprise policies are working however if Ireland is to continue to grow exports and create jobs, improving our competitiveness is critical. As Ireland is largely reliant on global economic market performance, actions need to be taken on a number of domestic fronts within our control including reducing costs to businesses, improving productivity and increasing innovation.”
The full report, Annual Employment Survey 2012, is available on the Forfás website.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Sylda Langford, Forfás, Tel: 01 607 3052.
About Forfás
Forfás is Ireland’s policy advisory board for enterprise, trade, science, technology and innovation. It provides independent and rigorous research, advice and support in the areas of enterprise and science policy. This work informs the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and wider Government. Forfás works with IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland to ensure the coherence of policies across the enterprise development agencies.
The published advice of Forfás is available at www.forfas.ie
Forfás manages the work of and provides research and analytical support to:
Forfás manages the accreditation services of the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) www.inab.ie
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