IDA Ireland Secures 190 Investments, 10,410 Jobs in H1 2026
IDA Ireland secured 190 foreign investments in H1 2026, a 6% increase from H1 2025, committing to 10,410 new jobs. Key investments included major projects from Novo Nordisk, Qualcomm, and OpenText. The agency emphasizes the need for continued focus on infrastructure and skills to sustain this growth.
IDA Ireland secured 190 foreign investments in the first half of 2026, a 6% increase from H1 2025, despite intense global competition. These investments include 54 first-time investors, 39 expansions, 57 RD&I projects, 31 talent development projects, and nine green capital investments. US companies accounted for approximately 65% of the total investment.
Client companies committed to creating 10,410 jobs, a slight increase from H1 2025. High-value investments were noted across technology, life sciences, engineering, and financial services, with 98 regional projects making up 52% of total investments. Key announcements included Novo Nordisk's €432m expansion in Athlone, Qualcomm's €125m AI investment in Cork, and OpenText's €105m investment creating 400 jobs focused on agentic AI and sovereign cloud.
IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan stated these results reflect continued momentum following a record 2025. However, sustaining this requires focus on critical infrastructure, competitive energy, housing, skills, innovation, and a streamlined regulatory environment. Minister Peter Burke affirmed the government's commitment to these enabling conditions. Feargal O'Rourke, IDA Ireland Chair, noted the positive results validate their five-year «Adapt Intelligently» strategy.