Peter Burke, the Minister for Enterprise, recently suggested that Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland might be having trouble attracting high-quality applicants because of budget constraints. This was in response to a query from Fianna Fáil TD for Longford–Westmeath, Robert Troy, who wanted to know the status of job vacancies at these two key Irish industrial growth support agencies.
Presently, there are 94.5 full-time equivalent positions unfilled at Enterprise Ireland, with certain roles soon to be taken up. Burke stated that the hiring process for most positions is moving ahead smoothly.
By comparison, IDA Ireland has fewer job openings at 30, but it seems to be faced with more significant hurdles as several roles have taken over half a year to fill. The IDA initially advertises roles internally for up to three months but may extend their search externally if no suitable applicants are found. This can prolong the recruitment period to at least six months if the first attempt is unsuccessful.
Burke highlighted several reasons for these difficulties. One was the specialised nature of the roles and a shortage of capable candidates in the job market. However, remuneration is also a concern. The salary packages that the agencies are authorised to offer are sometimes perceived as non-competitive. This can lead to fewer applications or accepted job offers.
In 2022, Enterprise Ireland’s yearly report documented spending of €66.7 million on staff compensation and other related costs, a rise from €64.8 million the previous year for its about 750 workers. This figure includes €55.6 million for basic pay before considering overtime, benefits, pension contributions, board members fees, travel expenses, and other staff-related costs.
Notably, the report shows that of its entire workforce, over 100 earned salaries between €90,000 and €99,999 – which is around one in seven. In a broader context, over a third of its workers received salaries between €90,000 and €210,000.
Conversely, IDA Ireland paid 95 of its approximately 340 staff above €90,000 per annum in 2023, nearly a third of its workforce.