Over 19,000 new jobs, record employment figures, good news for the regions and the launch of a new Market Discovery Fund at Enterprise Ireland's End of Year Statement announcement.

Over 19,000 jobs were created by Enterprise Ireland client companies this year with a record 209,338 people employed in companies supported by the agency.

Enterprise Ireland has said companies supported by the State agency created 10,309 net jobs in 2017. 

The comments come as Enterprise Ireland said firms it supports created more than 19,000 new jobs last year.

The agency also announced a Market Discovery Fund to support firms to diversify into new markets in the context of Brexit.

The 2017 performance recorded in the Enterprise Ireland end-of-year report saw a net increase of 10,309 jobs when you take into account job losses during the year.

Job creation was evenly spread across the country, with every county and region seeing increased employment.