Enterprise Ireland gave financial assistance to 65 new "high-growth, export-focused" start-up companies last year, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin said yesterday.

The total investment across the start-ups amounted to €80 million.

Mr Martin said the companies should together create 1,900 new jobs over the next three years. Most of these new jobs will be high-skilled positions, he said. The Enterprise Ireland aid came across a range of industries, including IT, education, food and medical devices.

Mr Martin referred to an internal Enterprise Ireland analysis which shows that, of the 470 companies that received assistance from the agency between 1989 and 2004, some four-fifths continue to trade.

Collectively, these companies posted sales of €1 billion in 2003, the Minister said.