US firms 'to create Irish 2,000 jobs'

US companies in Ireland will create more than 2,000 jobs over the next few years, a new survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland has revealed.

The study, which questioned 100 companies, found that 72 per cent plan on recruiting staff this year, with 68 per cent already taking on new staff. Multinationals currently have more than 1,250 job vacancies and are actively recruiting for roles in engineering, research, production, finance and office administration.

Data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) this week showed that economic growth in Ireland was being supported by foreign companies operating here. However, analysts have warned that any economic expansion in the short-term will be "jobless growth" as the domestic economy remains weak.

?The presence of US multinational companies has helped shield Ireland from the ravages of the recession," said chamber president Lionel Alexander.

"While it is encouraging that the latest data from the CSO showed economic growth returning to Ireland it will take time for this to translate into an increase in jobs. In this context that US companies are continuing to create employment in Ireland is all the more welcome.?

The survey also revealed a growing perception that Ireland was becoming more competitive, with 81 per cent of respondents noting a fall in the cost of doing business here. However, Mr Alexander warned that these improvements were arising from the recession and were therefore cyclical in nature rather than structural improvements.

So far this year, 23 US firms have announced major investment in Ireland, which the chamber says will bring 2,000 new jobs to the economy.

?The success of Ireland in attracting this investment can get lost in the continuous doom and gloom stories we hear every day on our radio stations, on our television screens and in our newspapers," Mr Alexander said.

The latest Live Register figures showed that the number of people signing on in June rose by almost 15,000, a 3.4 per cent rise on May.