Microsoft has published a socio-economic impact report that reveals the company has contributed €40 billion to Ireland’s economy over the past decade. 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.
'Transformative Technology'
“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," said Taoiseach Micheál Martin. " Microsoft’s efforts to advance AI reflect Ireland’s ambition to be at the forefront of this revolution.”
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.
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. This increase shows how Microsoft, together with its wider network and partners, is strengthening Ireland’s tech ecosystem, advancing Ireland’s position as a leading technology hub, and creating opportunities across multiple sectors.
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.
AI Skilling Investment
Microsoft also announced its intention to invest an additional €4 million in AI skilling over the next three years – building on the €8m 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.
“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," said Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre, James O’Connor.
"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."
