IDA Ireland says in its Annual Report for 2005 that it created over 12,500 new jobs in 2005 with 71 new foreign investment projects worth in excess of €700m. 46 of these were sited outside of the Greater Dublin area.

The IDA said that investment in research and development is up 85% on 2004.

The report was published Thursday afternoon:

IDA Ireland says 2005 was a remarkable year in terms of the high quality and regional spread of investments secured for Ireland

Last year some 132,000 people were working in IDA backed companies, a net gain of more than 3,000 on the previous year. 

Dell headquarters Round Rock Texas - Dell is Ireland's largest exporter.

The IDA plans to launch a new international marketing campaign called 'The Irish Mind' today. This features some of Louis le Brocquy's distinctive and well recognised 'head' portraits of famous Irish people.

A full page advertisement appears in today's Wall Street Journal featuring le Brocquy's recent portrait of Bono.