Irish companies, supported by Enterprise Ireland increased their exports by 8% last year, compared to the previous year.
In its annual business results for 2025, the government body supporting Irish businesses abroad said that companies it supports achieved record exports of almost €39 billion.
“Steady growth” was recorded in all three sectors represented by Enterprise Ireland, which includes food and drink, manufacturing and technology.
Exports to Europe and the UK both exceeded €11 billion, with the two markets now accounting for 29% of all exports each.
North America remains the third largest market for Enterprise Ireland’s client base with exports to the region increasing by 1% in 2025 to €7.34 billion.
There was a notable increase in exports to the Nordic countries – by 39% – driven largely by a significant increase in high-tech construction exports.
Roughly 40% of all high-tech construction exports by Irish-owned companies in 2024 was linked to data centre-related activity.
The results demonstrate “strong and steady growth by these companies in global markets” and their “resilience” and “agility”, said Enterprise Ireland’s CEO Jenny Melia.
Companies supported by Enterprise Ireland also increased their spending in the Irish economy last year, the government body said, spending almost €120m a day on payroll, goods and services.
The export data was released by Enterprise Ireland as one of its clients, electrical engineering company BMC Manufacturing, announced the creation of additional 500 new jobs as part of an expansion plan.
The new jobs are expected to be filled by the end of 2028 and will be in engineering, technology and operations.
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Enterprise Ireland’s report earlier this year found the number of jobs at companies supported it showed a net increase (meaning the difference between job creation and job losses) of 2,938 last year, rising to 232,425.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Jenny Melia said the body saw “a more cautious hiring policy”.
Some of it was linked to “the availability of actually being able to get affordable talent”.
She also noted that the news of the Iran-US peace deal “will be a relief for Irish exporters”.
“It has been a real challenge for our exporters over the last 12 months,” she added.
