Google is Ireland's No 1 exporter

BusinessWorld, Wednesday, 3 September 2014

Google Ireland is Ireland's top exporter with Microsoft coming in at No 2, according to the Top 250 Exporters in Ireland and Northern Ireland from the Irish Exporters Association and Investec.

Moving up one place from its previous year's ranking, Google recorded a 36.5pc increase in export turnover to E17bn.

Microsoft Ireland's export turnover came to E15bn).

Coming in third place was Johnson and Johnson with E10.5bn in exports followed by Dell with E8.5bn and Irish headquartered Smurfit Kappa Group with E7.3bn in exports. The ranking, compiled by StubbsGazette based on company accounts, shows that the information communications and technology (ICT) sector continues to be the strongest performing in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch event, Simon McKeever, chief executive of the IEA, noted that nine of the top 10 global software companies and 10 of the top global internet companies all have strategic operations here.

Total exports from the sector within the top 250 grew by 3pc in the past year and, of the top 20 companies listed, eight of them are focused within the ICT arena.

The strongest indigenous exporters in Ireland continue to be food and drink companies. Kerry Group (with export turnover of E5.2bn); the Irish Dairy Board (E2.1bn); Glanbia (E2bn); and APB Food Group (E2bn) are all in the top 20.

Ian Hunter, equity Analyst, Investec, and author of the independent report on the food and drink sector, said: "The food and beverage companies listed on the ISEQ now account for 30.5pc of the total Irish market with four of the top 10 companies in the index coming from the sector. Combined, they generated over E13.6bn in revenue in 2013."

"Although Irish in origin and domicile, all 'Irish' quoted food companies are truly