One obvious industry where jobs are being created is animal health and genetics. Across six companies in this sector, 166 new jobs were created, including 13 graduate positions, 19 internships and student placements and 63 seasonal workers.

Animal health company Interchem added two full-time workers to its payroll this year as well as three internships and one seasonal worker.

Eurogene added four part-time AI technicians on to its books along with seven seasonal workers.

One part-time and one full-time sales workers were also hired to fill new roles in the company.

Enfer brought the number of full-time employees in the company to 60 in 2018, after it created four full-time jobs in research and development (R&D). A total of 30 seasonal staff were employed from January to June, focusing on BVD tagging. Of the seasonal workers, 10 were in the lab and 20 took up administrative roles, with five of the lab workers being graduates.

Devenish Nutrition has boosted its presence in 2018 by creating 24 new full-time jobs. On top of this, 10 placement and internship positions were filled as well as 25 seasonal jobs. A total of 257 people are employed here this year.

Devenish recently secured €118m in long-term funding to develop its research and innovation capability. A significant amount of this investment is to go towards developing performance centres such as the Global Innovation Centre in Dowth, Co Meath.

Zoetis creates 40 roles

This year has also seen the further strengthening of Zoetis in terms of workforce.

Currently employing 195 across its four sites in Ireland, the company has developed its Irish labour force since its headquarters relocated here in 2016. Zeotis general manager Roy Geary said the company must continue giving itself every chance to keep recruiting the best people.

“We have created 40 new positions in 2018 but it is getting slightly tougher to attract new people due to the competition in Dublin and its surrounding areas. For us, it is about putting your best foot forward in terms of attracting the best people to work here.”

The company is based out of four plants, including its HQ in Cherrywood in Dublin, a manufacturing site in Tallaght, a R&D plant in Tullamore and a manufacturing facility in Rathdrum in Wicklow. Geary explains that for Zeotis, producing animal pharmaceuticals can prove an advantage in seeking labour.

“People like the fact that we are an animal health company and that resonates and encourages those from a more traditional manufacturing background to work for us,” he explained.

Geary confirmed that they expect to create another 40-45 jobs in 2019.