FOREIGN DIRECT investment generates more jobs per capita in the Republic than in any other country according to research from IBM to be published today.

A draft copy of IBM’s Global Location Trends report, seen by The Irish Times, found that in 2009 the Republic benefited from 170 jobs per 100,000 inhabitants as a result of foreign businesses investing here.

The Republic overtook Hungary in this ranking last year while Singapore was in third place.

Roel Spee, global leader with Plant Location International, the IBM unit which produced the report, said “Ireland’s job creation effort last year was very successful”.

He said that there were “structural reasons” why Ireland was a “very attractive place to locate”.

The report shows the sectors where countries are most successful in attracting investment.

Ireland was ranked 10th in the world for total number of jobs created in business support services, which includes call centres, shared services centres and business outsourcing.

The Philippines overtook India to become the top nation in this category last year.

However, in a ranking of higher value services, which includes factors such as locating global or regional headquarters here, Ireland moved from 14th to ninth in the rankings according to Mr Spee.

In terms of research and development (R&D) jobs created Ireland moved from 10th to ninth last year.

Dublin, which did not figure in last year’s research, was ranked 15th worldwide for cities attracting investment projects, which created 2,800 jobs.

London topped the list with over 120 investment projects in 2009.

IDA Ireland chief executive Barry O’Leary welcomed the report and said that it would “inject renewed confidence into Ireland’s reputation as a leading location for foreign direct investment”.

Mr O’Leary noted that IDA’s strategy for the next 10 years is “firmly focused on employment intensive services and R&D”.