IDA Ireland helped secure 190 investments by foreign companies into the country during the first six months of the year, despite what it called a “backdrop of intensifying global competition” for investment.
In its mid-year report for 2026, the State agency with responsibility for attracting foreign companies to invest in Ireland said this included 54 first-time investors, 39 expansions from existing companies, 57 RD&I investments, 31 talent development projects and nine green capital investments.
The 190 investments represent an about 6% increase on the first half of 2025.
The US remains the main country from where Ireland attracts foreign investment – accounting for around 65% of the total.
The report also said IDA client companies had committed to creating 10,410 jobs here, a marginal increase on the first half of 2025.
Overall, the State agency said so far this year there has been “significant high-value investment across technology, life sciences, engineering and financial services”.
The mid-year report added that regional activity remains strong, with 98 regional projects representing 52% of total investments won for the first half of this year.
It notes key announcements including Novo Nordisk’s €432m investment to expand manufacturing capacity in Athlone; Qualcomm’s €125m investment to further develop its Cork site as a strategic AI pillar within its global chipmaking organisation; and OpenText’s €105m investment, which IDA Ireland says will result in 400 additional jobs across its Irish sites, focused on agentic AI and sovereign cloud capability in Europe.
According to the report, innovation in AI was a “feature of a large number of investments in H1, highlighting Ireland’s growing reputation in this area”.
IDA Ireland chief executive Michael Lohan said 2025 was a record year for the State agency and that the numbers in the mid-year report “reflect continuing momentum”.
However, the organisation warned sustaining this momentum will “require continued focus across Government, industry, and stakeholders on the key enabling conditions that shape investment decisions, including critical infrastructure, competitive energy, housing, skills, innovation capacity, and a streamlined planning and regulatory environment”.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said the Government is “committed to ensuring the right enabling conditions are in place to keep Ireland competitive, including investment in infrastructure, energy, housing, skills and innovation”.
“These are essential to supporting companies already operating here, attracting new investors, and ensuring that FDI continues to deliver high-quality employment and regional opportunity across the country,” he added.
In relation to future strategy, Feargal O’Rourke, Chair of IDA Ireland, said: “We are now 18 months into our ‘Adapt Intelligently’ five-year strategy and these very positive results, allied to last year’s record performance, signal that our plan is fit for purpose in what is an increasingly turbulent world”.
“We have a clear strategic focus on supporting regional development, delivering sustainable investment and deepening the economic impact of FDI right around the country,” Mr O’Rourke added.
Key investments the first half of 2026
Qualcomm (US) – Cork – announced a €125m investment that will see the transformation of the company’s Cork site into a strategic AI pillar in the global chipmaker’s organisation over the next three years.
CoinJar (Australia) – Dublin – announced a €5m investment over the next 24 months to establish its new European hub in Dublin, with plans to create 30 highly skilled roles over the next two years.
Supply Wisdom (US) – Dublin – announced Dublin as the location of its European headquarters, supporting the creation of up to 21 high-value jobs over the next three years.
Apple (US) – Dublin and Cork – announced the opening of its new Hollyhill 5 building in Cork, in addition to the opening of its new Dublin office.
Monzo (UK) – Dublin – announced plans to grow its Irish team to 70, almost doubling headcount by mid-2027, alongside a €71m capital investment bringing its total investment over the past two years to €83.5 million.
Novo Nordisk (Denmark) – Athlone – announced a €432m investment in Monksland, Athlone, to provide significant additional manufacturing capacity for current and future GLP-1 treatments.
Anthropic (US) – Dublin – announced 200 new jobs as part of an expansion of its Dublin presence.
HubSpot (US) – Dublin – announced plans to launch a €40.35m investment in an AI-native R&D programme in Ireland focused on foundational AI systems engineering.
Qumulo (US) – Cork – announced the official launch of its European Software R&D hub in Cork.
Harvey (US) – Dublin – announced the opening of its Dublin office, creating 40 new jobs.
Prove (US) – Dublin – announced an expansion to Ireland, with plans to invest more than $5m and create 50 new jobs.
Klaviyo (US) – Dublin – announced the opening of its Engineering Hub in Dublin, with the business set for 50% growth in 2026.
Boston Scientific (US) – Galway – announced a €75m investment in its Galway site, including the expansion of its R&D capabilities and further strengthening its role as a global centre for cardiovascular innovation.
MongoDB (US) – Dublin and Cork – announced the expansion of its Irish operations through a €74m investment in engineering, AI development and operational growth, with approximately 200 new roles to be created across Dublin and Cork.
Currenxie (Hong Kong) – Dublin – officially entered the European market following the launch of its multi-country, multi-currency business account across the EEA and plans to grow its Irish team to 30 jobs over the next two years.
Medtronic (US) – Galway – announced the establishment of a European software development hub in Galway for its Patient Care Systems function with 85 new roles.
Cara Partners (Germany) – Cork – announced a major training and development initiative designed to upskill employees and support a step-change in capability across its Little Island facility, with the €6m programme running over three years.
Qashio (UAE) – Dublin – announced its intention to establish the company’s European headquarters in Dublin, creating 50 jobs.
Rippling (US) – Dublin – as it opened its new office in Dublin, the company announced 150 new jobs to meet demand for AI-native workforce intelligence across EMEA.
Horizon Quantum Holdings Ltd (Singapore) – Dublin – announced it will locate a second quantum computer – anticipated to be one of the most advanced commercial quantum systems in the world in Dublin.
OpenText (Canada) – Cork and Galway – announced it is to create 400 jobs with €105m investment in Cork and Galway to expand agentic AI and sovereign cloud in Europe.
NTT DATA (Asia) – Dublin – global leader in AI, digital business and technology services announced the opening of its new Dublin office as part of a €16.5m investment.
Trading 212 (UK) – Dublin – one of Europe’s leading online investment platforms, announced it will establish a new European hub in Dublin, creating 40 high value roles over the next three years.
