69pc of the overall job growth was outside of Dublin, with much activity in the midlands and the south-east.
Enterprise Ireland client companies made a net gain of nearly 3,000 employees over 2025, despite a year of considerable economic turbulence.
Over the year, businesses supported by the stage agency created 12,608 new jobs, taking their total workforce to 232,425. 69pc of the overall job growth was outside of Dublin, with much of it occurring in the midlands and the south-east.
The climate and renewable energy sector saw a growth in employment of 6.5pc over the year, while the fintech and finance sector grew by 4.9pc, housing sector by 4pc, and high-tech construction by 2.5pc.
Ireland’s three key sectoral divisions also recorded marginal job growth, with food and sustainability now employing more than 69,000, industrial and life sciences more than 101,000, and technology and services more than 61,000.
Speaking to SiliconRepublic.com, Enterprise Ireland CEO Jenny Melia said she expected things to go this way. “One of the things that I’d always be very conscious of is the number of market upheavals the companies have come through since 2016.”
The disruption over the years has “actually helped them [the companies] to hold their offer and be more competitive and be more ambitious as well”, she says.
Moreover, Irish business doubled-down on innovation and R&D-related strategies last year, something Melia thinks were good strategic decisions that should be continued in the years ahead.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD expects to see positive job growth in Ireland in 2026. “We have a very strong projection for jobs growth…very strong signal from both an enterprise and…and our foreign direct [perspective]” he tells SiliconRepublic.com.
Enterprise Ireland made €49.5m in direct investments into client companies this past year, including into quantum start-up Equal1’s massive €60m round, agentic AI sports firm Orreco’s $4m round and fintech Fenergo’s €100m expansion project. According to the agency, these direct investments turned into €440m in returns for the companies.
Supports went out to 187 new High Potential Start-Ups and Pre-Seed Start Fund-backed companies. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 new overseas business contracts were also secured over the year past.
The results were announced at IT firm Origina’s headquarters in Dublin’s Sandyford yesterday (26 January). Alongside the results, Origina announced a “significant” expansion of its operations in Ireland, with plans to create 350 new jobs.
The expansion project was “made possible with the support from Enterprise Ireland”, said Origina’s CEO Tomás O’Leary.
“We’ve had some great experience with Enterprise Ireland… Clearly, they’re helping us with jobs, they give us some subsistence and support towards jobs and innovation,” he says, adding that the agency’s connections globally also helped the company in achieving its global goals.
The total number of companies supported by Enterprise Ireland changes annually. Client companies employed more than 234,000 at the beginning of 2025.
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