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This release is part of the CSO’s Business in Ireland Series which provides comprehensive insight and information to aid users in understanding the detailed structure, economic activity, and performance of businesses in Ireland in 2022 and over time. For more information on this new series, please refer to the Editor’s Note.
The CSO would welcome feedback from users on this new initiative, which we will continue to review and develop. Please contact us at enterprise_stats@cso.ie.
In 2022, the business economy in Ireland generated a total turnover of €1,288.7 billion, of which foreign-owned multinational enterprises (MNEs) accounted for 71.4% (€920.6 billion). Total Gross Value Added (GVA) was €424.2 billion, with foreign-owned MNEs accounting for 71.0% (€301.3 billion).
There were 389,654 enterprises with a total of 2,292,598 people employed, of which 12,579 (3.2%) were foreign-owned MNEs with 623,128 (27.2%) people employed in 2022.
Non-EU multinationals accounted for 92% of all GVA generated by 12,579 foreign-owned multinational enterprise in Ireland in 2022. These non-EU MNEs accounted for 89% of the €920.6 billion turnover generated by foreign-owned MNEs in Ireland and employed almost 80% of people employed by MNEs in Ireland.
Among foreign-owned enterprises in Ireland in 2022, United States-owned enterprises accounted for the largest share (73.8%) of all turnover generated by foreign-owned MNEs, and 52.7% of total turnover generated in the Irish business economy.
These US-owned MNEs accounted for 78.0% (€235.0 billion) of all GVA generated by foreign-owned MNEs, and 55.4% of the total GVA generated in Ireland in 2022.
When compared with US-owned enterprises, United Kingdom-owned MNEs accounted for a higher percentage of foreign-owned enterprises at 30.3% (3,812 enterprises) in Ireland but had lower proportions of people employed (20.3%), turnover (5.4%), and GVA (6.2%).
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Enterprises |
|---|---|
| United States | 18.9 |
| United Kingdom | 30.3 |
| Other countries | 50.8 |
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Persons employed | No Entry Here | No Entry Here | No Entry Here | No Entry Here | No Entry Here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 35.3 | |||||
| United Kingdom | 20.3 | |||||
| Other countries | 44.4 |
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | Turnover |
|---|---|
| United States | 73.8 |
| United Kingdom | 5.4 |
| Other countries | 20.8 |
| For long labels below use to display on multiple lines | GVA |
|---|---|
| United States | 78 |
| United Kingdom | 6.2 |
| Other countries | 15.8 |
In 2022, a small proportion of enterprises owned by foreign multinationals represented a larger segment of both turnover and GVA across sectors of the economy. Industry was dominated by foreign-owned enterprises, producing 88.0% of turnover and 87.3% of GVA, the bulk of which came from enterprises that were owned outside the EU. Though foreign-owned multinationals represented 5.4% of all enterprises in the Industry sector, they accounted for almost half (48.5%) of people working in the sector.
In the Services sector, which includes Distribution, just 3.7% of enterprises were foreign-owned but they employed 25.9% of people employed in the sector. These foreign-owned enterprises in the Services sector accounted for 65.8% of turnover and 61.2% of GVA in this sector.
Foreign-owned Construction enterprises represented just 1.0% of enterprises, 7.9% of people employed, 16.3% of turnover, and 17.9% of GVA in the sector.
| Industry | Construction | Services | |
| Number of enterprises | 5.4 | 1 | 3.7 |
| Persons employed | 48.5 | 7.9 | 25.9 |
| Turnover | 88 | 16.3 | 65.8 |
| GVA | 87.3 | 17.9 | 61.2 |
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