A new report has found that the level of entrepreneurial activity in Ireland is the highest in the EU. The report - the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor - compares entrerpeneurial activity in more than 30 countries.
The overall results reflect the difficult economic conditions over the past few years, with activity declining in all developed economies since 2001.
The report found that while most new Irish businesses are small, the percentage of entrepreneurs with growth ambitions in Ireland is 15%, higher than in Europe (5.9%) or the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand group (11%).
The research found that there was a 'strong and supportive' culture of entrepreneurship, with 66% of Irish adults saying that starting a business was a good career choice.
One in 12 of all working age adults in Ireland are actively involved in entrepreneurial activity, and there are 200,000 entrepreneurs in the country. Well educated men make up the majority of entrepreneurs, while the number of female entrepreneurs is falling.
21% of new businesses started are construction companies, and another 21% are customer service companies. 19% are business services companies while only 2% are manufacturing companies.
