Tech giant employs more than 6,400 people across Leopardstown office, data centre campus, Activision Blizzard King, and LinkedIn
Life
James O’Connor, Microsoft
Microsoft today published a socio-economic impact report that reveals the company has contributed €40 billion to Ireland’s economy over the past decade, underscoring its role as a key driver of innovation and growth in the Irish economy. Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister James Lawless joined Microsoft as it revealed the details of the report to coincide with Microsoft’s 40th anniversary in Ireland. To mark the milestone, the Company has committed an additional €4 million to AI skilling initiatives in Ireland, supporting communities, businesses, and individuals in preparing for the opportunities of the AI era.
The Microsoft Ireland 2025 Economic and Social Impact Report, which was carried out by Indecon, highlights Microsoft’s strong track record of investment in Ireland and the positive ripple effects of its presence across the wider economy. In the last year alone, Microsoft, together with its wider network, contributed €4.9 billion to Ireland’s economic output.
Having established a presence in Dublin in 1985, with a small manufacturing operation of fewer than 100 people, Microsoft’s footprint in Ireland has expanded significantly. Since 2014, employment supported by the company has grown by 340% and its annual contribution to economic output has increased by 380%, underscoring Microsoft’s sustained commitment to Ireland.
Today, the company employs more than 6,400 people across its multifunctional campus in Leopardstown, its data centre campus in Grange Castle, Activision Blizzard King, and LinkedIn’s operations in Dublin, and delivers a broad range of services including R&D, engineering, cloud services, and EMEA sales, as well as support functions, including financial and legal services, operations and logistics.
Microsoft helps sustain more than 20,000 jobs in Ireland through direct, indirect, and induced employment, up from 4,500 jobs a decade ago.
Microsoft’s investment in research and development and innovation further underscores its role in Ireland’s digital economy. The company has invested €1.8 billion in research and development activities since 2014, with 1,600 current engineering roles focused on driving innovation. Since 2008, 676 patent applications have been filed in Ireland, 549 patents have been granted, and 89 new products have been developed and launched.
More broadly, the company has enabled almost 900 start-ups, and over 500 registered Microsoft Partners and resellers, in Ireland to grow and scale their businesses. It has also engaged the services of more than 550 Irish-based suppliers contributing to more than 3,300 jobs in its supplier network, while also supporting more than 5,000 construction jobs since 2019.
Over the past decade, the company has provided €137 million in philanthropy grants and €120 million in donations to charitable causes, while employees have contributed more than 940,000 volunteer hours to community initiatives.
New AI Skilling Investment
Microsoft today announced its intention to invest an additional €4 million in AI skilling over the next three years – building on the €8 million already invested since 2018. The additional funding aims to unlock Ireland’s AI opportunity by providing people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences with the opportunity to develop their AI fluency and digital skills, benefiting communities and businesses across the country.
This investment will also support the expansion of AI learning opportunities for young people through Microsoft Dream Space, which has already engaged over 500,000 students since 2018. A new €1 million Dream Space hub at Grange Castle will provide hands-on STEM and AI education for more than 5,000 students and hundreds of teachers in communities across Dublin, Kildare and beyond. The new hub will deliver a technically focused curriculum, covering physical computing, electrical engineering and cloud operations. Learners from primary, post-primary and further education will gain practical skills that are aligned to emerging high-demand roles in AI, cloud, and digital infrastructure. This initiative supports Microsoft’s commitment to provide nearly one million students, as well as their teachers, with immersive STEM and AI learning experiences.
Speaking at a special event in Microsoft’s campus today Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Today marks a significant milestone as Microsoft celebrates forty years in Ireland. Its decision to establish and grow here was a gateway investment that has greatly helped to position Ireland as a global digital leader, built on world-class talent, a vibrant technology ecosystem and a strong culture of innovation.
“Over four decades, Microsoft has driven technological progress, supported economic growth and helped shape the digital economy we know today. I welcome Microsoft’s latest investment, which will develop the skills needed for our AI future and strengthen Ireland’s leadership in this transformative technology. Microsoft’s efforts to advance AI reflect Ireland’s ambition to be at the forefront of this revolution.”
James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland site leader and corporate vice president of Microsoft global operations service centre (pictured), said: “Over the past four decades, our Irish operations have been at the centre of Microsoft’s journey of innovation. Through continuous investment and transformation, Ireland has become a strategic international hub for Microsoft, home to over 6,400 employees, and an important driver of innovation and economic growth. Beyond economic impact, we remain deeply committed to empowering people and organisations to achieve more through education, skills development, and community engagement.
“As we look to the future, our focus is on ensuring that the benefits of technology and AI are accessible to all, helping Ireland continue to thrive as a leader in the digital era. By investing an additional €4 million in AI skilling and through the development of a third Dream Space hub at our data centre campus in Grange Castle, we will continue to deliver on our mission of providing every person across the island with the skills to thrive in the era of AI. As the sector evolves, developing a resilient, skilled workforce is essential to unlocking many career opportunities, empowering people to thrive in a digital-first economy both locally and globally.”
Catherine Doyle, general manager, Microsoft Ireland, added: “Ireland is rapidly emerging as a global leader in AI, now ranking fourth world-wide for AI adoption. Top-performing organisations, which we refer to as ‘frontier firms’, are setting new standards for innovation and productivity by embedding AI at the heart of their operations. This momentum is not limited to a few sectors; it’s transforming our entire economy, with AI projected to contribute at least €250 billion to GDP over the next decade.
“What sets Ireland apart is our agility and commitment to responsible innovation. By continuing to invest in skills and fostering collaboration across industry and government, we are advancing Ireland’s ambition to be a global technology leader, driving sustainable growth and prosperity for all. I truly believe this is a golden opportunity for Irish business and society and I look forward to working with leaders nationwide as we empower them on their transformation journey to becoming AI frontier firms.”
TechCentral Reporters