Over three-hundred new jobs were created in Galway in 2018 during a record year for Enterprise Ireland, with Lifesciences and Construction among the top performing sectors.
Both sectors saw an 8% increase, while new jobs in Electronics increased by 7%, Primary Meats by 5% and Food by 3%, leading to the strongest 12 months in the 20 years of Enterprise Ireland.
Minister Ciaran Cannon has said the overall 4.4% increase is excellent news for the local economy, with 14,547 people now employed across the West.
Minister Cannon said: “These record results are a great achievement and a testament to the resilience of Irish companies in the context of Brexit as well as our local economy here in Galway.
“They are particularly welcome in the context of similarly strong results from IDA-supported companies in 2018.”
In 2018, Enterprise Ireland approved funding of €74m for 535 of its most Brexit-exposed clients.
Heather Humphreys, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, said: “Some 215,207 people are now employed in companies supported by Enterprise Ireland, growing at 4.4% in 2018. This is the highest total employment in the 20-year history of the agency.
“As we reach full employment, our focus must shift from getting people back to work to creating sustainable jobs that can deal with new challenges and embrace new technologies.”
