The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, has welcomed preliminary data released by the Central Statistics Office which shows the value of services exports from Ireland rose to €285.6 billion in 2021, the highest level on record. This is an increase of 17% when compared to 2020.
The largest increase was in Computer Services which increased by €35.7 billion to almost €170 billion in 2021. These services accounted for almost 60% of all services exports in 2021, a huge boost to the economy.
Commenting on the figures, the Tánaiste said, “it is remarkable that last year of all years we see record increases in our services exports. The figures, which are only preliminary at this point, are a testament to the strength of our services sector, particularly Computer Services, which account for 60% of our overall service exports.”
“There are thousands of jobs behind these figures, and we should never take for granted the value and importance of trade with other countries.”
Welcoming the latest CSO statistics, Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy, said, “we have seen exceptional growth in our services sector in recent years, reflecting the scale of innovation and responsiveness of Irish companies to market needs.”
“These results are very positive with of the value of our services exports rising to its highest level yet. The importance of international trade, the goods, and services we export globally, have huge benefits to our economy. It sustains business, creates jobs and funds critical infrastructure.”