IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland is the Irish Government’s inward investment promotion agency. We are a non-commercial body that provides comprehensive pro bono investment support and incentives for companies looking to expand and develop strategic international operations in Ireland. We support close to 1,800 client companies to directly employ over 300,000 people in Ireland.
A wealth of experience
We have more than 70 years of experience in advising major multinational businesses on their investment decisions. We pride ourselves on having the know-how and connections to help our clients to navigate all aspects of setting up and succeeding in Ireland.IDA Ireland is supported by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and our sister agencies: Enterprise Ireland, the agency that develops and grows Irish enterprises and start-ups in global markets, and Science Foundation Ireland, which funds basic and applied research across STEM disciplines.
An evolving mission
As Ireland has changed, so our mission has evolved. When we were formed in 1949, Ireland was a very different place. Our remit was originally to stimulate and support export-led business in Ireland, but as our economic outlook gave way from protectionism to openness, we understood that the pathway to expanding our economy was in attracting overseas manufacturers to set up in Ireland. By the end of our first decade, we had helped 70 companies to start in Ireland, creating 5,000 jobs.In the 1960s, we began to focus on high tech industries and also on attracting businesses to custom-made developments in various regions across Ireland. During the following decade, our progress continued. In 1973, Ireland joined the European Economic Community, which would later become the European Union. IDA Ireland laid the groundwork for job creation and expanded its focus to attracting multinationals from Europe and Japan.
Stating the case for investing in Ireland
In the 1980s, IDA Ireland began to make the case that our young, well-educated workforce help us to stand apart as a destination for multinationals looking for a base to expand into new markets. This decade also saw the start of ongoing support for developing the international financial services sector.As the 1990s unfolded, Ireland’s economy began to boom and there was an increase in foreign investment not just in pharmaceuticals and medical devices but also a growing focus on the emerging software and services sectors. As the technology landscape continued to shift over the subsequent decades, we responded by quickly identifying opportunities among the emerging companies that would go on to become global giants.
Today, as the global environment for foreign direct investment evolves at increasing speed, and in challenging economic conditions, IDA Ireland’s latest strategy reflects our response to these changed conditions. Beyond focusing on job creation and development, our mission now encompasses the economic and social benefit for the people of Ireland, along with considering sustainability in all its forms.