Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
41. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of jobs created in the past five years in County Kildare; the top three employers in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13385/26]
View answerMy Department remains committed to driving balanced economic development across all regions of the country. Enterprise Ireland supports over 4,300 Irish companies, creating opportunities across every region and county in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland supported companies are delivering direct and indirect job creation, developing innovative solutions for global challenges, strengthening communities and regions, and improving quality of life nationwide. Over 60 percent of all Enterprise Ireland client company employment is outside Dublin. Table 1 outlines the number of jobs supported by EI in Co. Kildare over the past five years.
Table 1 – Enterprise Ireland Supported Jobs in Kildare
|
County |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Kildare |
9,273 |
9,439 |
9,151 |
9,552 |
9,434 |
Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s strategy. IDA is committed to the pursuit of more balanced, compact regional development with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. IDA utilises a range of strategies to maximise dispersal of FDI nationally. There are 126 IDA client companies in the Mid-East Region, employing 20,284 people. IDA continues to market County Kildare as a location for Foreign Direct Investment, leveraging assets within the County such as the impressive client track record, Maynooth University, Kildare Innovation Campus, Millennium Business Park and IDA’s own land in Littleconnell. Table 2 outlines the number of jobs supported by IDA in Co. Kildare over the past five years.
Table 2 – IDA Ireland Supported Jobs in Kildare
|
County |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Kildare |
10,120 |
12,208 |
12,004 |
11,009 |
10,258 |
Local Enterprise Office (LEO) clients are also demonstrating positive job creation in County Kildare. 2025 Employment in LEO supported businesses in Kildare increased by 4 per cent compared with the 2024 figures, with a total of 417 new jobs created in 2025. Since 2020, Kildare LEO has reported steady increases in the number of businesses supported and the number of jobs created by these businesses. Companies supported by LEO Kildare have shown an average annual increase of 300 jobs over this period.
In order to protect the confidentiality of information provided to the agencies by companies, it is not possible to provide a ranking of the largest employers in County Kildare.
