Údarás na Gaeltachta says investment and regional development funding led to 737 new jobs in Gaeltacht areas last year, with the number of new positions at its highest level since 2008.
In its annual report the agency says total employment in Údarás client companies was 7,682 by the end of last year.
Of those 7,053 were full-time jobs and 629 were part-time.
When full-time job losses are taken into consideration, there was a net increase of 84 jobs overall.
The majority of the jobs lost last year were in the Gaoth Dobhair Business Park.
Largo Foods closed its manufacturing facility and transferred production to the company's main plant in Ashbourne, Co Meath, with the loss of 140 jobs.
