Údarás na Gaeltachta has reported the highest number of jobs created in one year since 2008.
The vast majority of those jobs were in both Donegal and Galway.
Údarás released its end of year statement this morning saying that 825 jobs were created in Gaeltacht companies in 2021.
When job reductions are taken into account, there was an increase of 446 jobs in overall employment – the largest annual net increase since 1996.
By the end of the 2021, there were over 7,809 full-time and 485 part-time jobs in companies supported by Údarás.
It comes despite the challenges of the Covid pandemic.
Údarás says that Gaeltacht companies have shown good levels of stability and witnessed a degree of recovery in terms of employment, which was driven by company innovation and the considerable growth of the medical devices and medical products sector.
Among the success stories of last year was that of Randox Teo, in An Clochán Liath (Dungloe) in Donegal.
It was heavily involved in Covid-related research and development, and manufacture of testing products.
The company increased employment and expanded its premises during the year and continues to recruit.
The network of Gteic digital hubs across the Gaeltacht was a crucial investment in the region’s business infrastructure according to Údarás, which says that despite Covid-19 restrictions, over 320 people – more than 180 of whom are not included in the employment figures – were working in the digital hubs that had been developed at the end of 2021.
Looking to the future, the Gteic network is expected to be crucial in realising the opportunities available to businesses and remote workers, in particular to the Gaeltacht diaspora who are seeking to move home after the pandemic.
Early 2022 will see Údarás na Gaeltachta place a specific focus on the tourism sector with the objective of assisting its continued recovery through the Tourism Development Scheme, which has been operating on a pilot basis in recent years.
Chief Executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh said: “Gaeltacht communities and companies deserve huge recognition for their perseverance during this pandemic. The resilience shown has resulted in an increase in Gaeltacht employment over the past year.”
He added: “The challenges placed on Gaeltacht businesses and communities by this pandemic and Brexit are yet to be overcome but it is a source of considerable encouragement to see green shoots of recovery by companies including the surge in the medical device sector in the Gaeltacht.
“Some of these indigenous companies are a real source of inspiration to others, those businesses that started out with just one or two employees and are now among the largest employers in the Gaeltacht.”
