IDA Ireland generated a record number of new jobs in 1998, the agency will today reveal, but a greater number of factory closures will bring the net total to slightly below the figure for 1997. In a separate development, the Government has reappointed Mr Denis Hanrahan as IDA chairman.

The agency will report that its foreign client companies generated around 16,000 jobs in the Republic during 1998. This represents a record number for the agency, and easily trumps last year's total of 15,170.

But IDA firms are also likely to record more job losses for the year; factory closures are set to push that figure over the 6,000 mark for the first time in some years.

Last year saw a net total of 9,945 extra jobs, and sources said last night the net figure for 1998 would be slightly less than this.

The most significant factory closure in 1998 came when Seagate pulled out of its plant at Clonmel with the loss of 1,000 jobs. Other losses included 500 at Apple in Cork; 500 at Krups and 350 at AST, both in Limerick; and 300 at Applied Magnetics in Dublin. The agency is unlikely to include the 800 jobs being lost at Fruit of the Loom in Co Donegal, as the redundancies will officially occur after the New Year.

Over the past 10 years, IDA Ireland has had remarkable success in attracting foreign investment to the Republic. In 1988, the number of new jobs created stood at 6,521; by 1993 the figure had risen to 8,053 and by 1996 the total was at 13,258.

But the net jobs figure tends to reflect the economy more accurately. This fell to a low of 870 in 1991, rising only to 1,069 the following year. But by 1996, the net jobs total had reached 7,294, before jumping to 1997's total of almost 10,000.

The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said last night she was happy Mr Hanrahan had accepted the post of IDA chairman for another term, pointing out that the re-appointment came at a time of significant change within the organisation. IDA Ireland's chief executive, Mr Kieran McGowan, is departing at the end of the year; he will be replaced by Mr Sean Dorgan.

"Since his appointment as chairman of the board in 1993, he has been a key figure in the IDA's delivery of an outstanding performance in every aspect of its work," Ms Harney said.

Mr Hanrahan, who is head of group corporate development at Bank of Ireland, is due to remain as chairman until the end of June 2000.