IRISH technology firms are upbeat about the future and three-quarters of them are planning to grow their workforce this year.

In addition, seven out of 10 increased their turnover by an average of 30pc last year and six out of 10 are now looking outside Ireland for their main market, according to a survey by Amarach research for AIB.

The sector employs 30,000 people with a strong emerging technology start-up sector emerging throughout the country - many of these companies started during the recession.AIB's Head of Business Banking, Ken Burke, said the findings clearly show the growth potential of the Technology sector in Ireland and the capacity of Irish companies to compete in a rapidly-changing global market.

There are in excess of 700 indigenous technology companies and 27 accelerator-incubators (which provide pre-seed funding, training programmes and other start-up supports) now operating in the Irish economy.Three-quarters of the firms are privately held while just one in eight of them are funded by venture capital.

Of the 106 SMEs that were surveyed in this Outlook Report, three-quarters have employ less than 50 employees while 8pc employed in excess of 250 people.

*Irish Independant