Over 19,000 jobs were lost at Enterprise Ireland-supported companies last year, according to figures published today.
Enterprise Ireland's annual report indicates 7,443 new positions were created in 2009, bringing the total number of people employed at companies it backs to 133,523. During the same period 19,078 positions were made redundant.
Speaking at the publication of the report in Dublin this morning, chief executive Frank Ryan said it forecast 10,000 new jobs would be created this year.
However, he admitted this would not be enough to counteract the number of jobs lost.
"The investment pipeline for 2010 indicates that new jobs created will exceed 2009 figures, as client companies continue to invest in competitiveness improvement measures and achieve export sales," he said.
Mr Ryan said the performance by Irish firms last year had been "extremely resilient" and said there had been solid export growth for the first six months of this year.
He said however, that the country's "international trading footprint" has to evolve over the next few years.
"We must become strong in trading areas where we haven't traditionally been strong such as Brazil and India," he said. "We have to follow the money."
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Batt O'Keeffe said based on current projections, Enterprise Ireland client companies expected to create 60,000 jobs by the end of 2015.
Last year, the agency invested in 73 high potential start-up firm which together are expected to create more than 900 jobs and achieve total sales of over €600 million within the next three years.
The organisation's annual report shows total export sales by client companies declined 10 per cent last year from €14.3 billion to €12.9 billion. This includes new export sales of €693 million.
Export sales of software-related goods and services rose 6 per cent in 2009 to €852 million while life sciences-related sales were also up 6 per cent to €671 million. internationally-traded services sales increased 5 per cent over the year to €1.61 billion.
During 2009, Enterprise Ireland approved funding of €167.4 million to 1,460 companies.
Enterprise Ireland is the agency responsible for the development of Irish companies and driving export sales. The agency's client companies are responsible for over 250,000 jobs and spend an estimated €19billion per annum in the Irish economy.
During the period 1989 to 2009, it invested in over 800 start-up firms, which has yielded more than €1 billion in exports and in excess of 14,000 jobs.
