The stock of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ireland was €1,089bn at the end of 2024, a decrease of 8% on 2023 figures.
FDI in Ireland was 194% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at the end of 2024, approximately four times the EU average.
On an ultimate investor basis €781bn of the Inward Investment Positions in Ireland originated in the US, accounting for 72% of the total.
Inward investment that ultimately originated in Ireland, or round-tripping, was €4bn in 2024. Round-tripping refers to domestic funds which leave an economy and return as FDI.
In 2024, 31% of inward FDI positions were pass-through investment which can be defined as foreign multinationals investing in their Irish affiliates and then subsequently invest in another economy.
Greenfield FDI, which represents new investment, was €46bn in 2024, mostly in the pharmaceutical sector.
Regional analysis of FDI stocks showed that 35% of inward FDI in 2024 was in the local authority areas of Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) today (18 June 2026) published Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ireland 2024.
Commenting on the release, Faris Bader, Statistician in the International Accounts Division said:
"This release highlights the relevance of FDI statistics and their role in the Irish economy and complements the FDI annual results series.
The results show that 72% of inward FDI to Ireland in 2024 had an ultimate controlling parent in the United States, and that 61% of inward FDI was concentrated among the top 25 firms. We can also see that pass-through, defined as foreign multinationals investing in their Irish affiliates and then subsequently investing in another economy, made up 31% of inward FDI. Round-tripping, which refers to domestic funds which leave an economy and return as FDI, amounted to €4bn. This release also includes a new chapter on regional FDI analysis. The results showed that 35% of inward FDI to Ireland in 2024 was in the local authority areas of Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown."