16,496 new jobs created by Enterprise Ireland supported companies in 2020

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, TD, and Enterprise Ireland today announced that total employment in Enterprise Ireland supported companies was 220,613 at the end of 2020.

16,496 new jobs created by Enterprise Ireland supported companies in 2020

• However, in a challenging year, with a significant Covid-19 impact, overall net job losses of 872 in client companies

• €124m in Sustaining Enterprise Funding to sustain 418 companies and 17,710 jobs

• 220,613 people now employed by Enterprise Ireland supported companies following challenging year for exporters

• 1,000 customs roles supported to help companies deal with new Customs rules

Enterprise Ireland sets out strategic priorities for 2021

Enterprise Ireland also announced its new strategic priorities for 2021 which has set out ambitions to sustain and increase employment to 222,000, support a recovery in exports, with a continued focus on market diversification, in particular to the Eurozone, and to increase the level of R&D investment by Irish companies to €1.25bn.

Julie Sinnamon said the new plan is based on three core pillars:

• Strengthening Irish enterprise to respond to Covid-19 and Brexit

• Driving transformational change, through accelerating the pace of innovation, digitalisation and the transition to a low carbon economy;

• Scaling and growing the export and start-up base, across regions, sectors and companies of all sizes.

She added:

“Last year underlined the importance of efficiency, agility and innovation in business. In 2021 we will support transformational change within our client base and, in particular, help more Irish SMEs to adapt their business models and invest in R&D, increase adoption of digital technologies, and respond to climate change and carbon reduction opportunities for future business growth.

“Another priority area for 2021 is to maximise the number of start-up companies, increase the number of high growth clients achieving scale and expand the number of exporting companies. Having strong, innovative, regionally based exporting companies is vital to balanced economic development and sustaining and creating high value jobs into the future. 2021 will be a critical year for Irish enterprise and we will work closely with Irish businesses to help them accelerate the recovery”.

Download Enterprise Ireland End of Year Statement 2020 report.

Download Enterprise Ireland’s Strategic Priorities 2021.

Read the full EI Press Release here: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2021-Press-Releases/16496-new-jobs-created-by-Enterprise-Ireland-supported-companies-in-2020.html?fbclid=IwAR21yjug66ORT0mvpmDLDtVzp0ur7hVdIwhhKbzgNTx2Yt70f06ZwvXlOI8