General business services 23.2% of GVA in 2010

General business services accounted for 23.2% of gross value added (GVA) in 2010 according to an annual publication by the Statistical Service.
Value added at current market prices increased by 7.8% to EUR 3,618.9 mln in 2010 while gross output increased by 7.0% to EUR 4,882.0 mln.
The largest contribution to total value added was generated through the real estate activities, which accounted for 50.3%.
Professional, scientific and technical activities accounted for 26.2% and information and communication activities for 17.9%.
Employment in the business services sector increased by 10.7% in 2010 compared with the previous year and reached 38,762 persons.
This was equivalent to 9.4% of the economically active population and 10.3% of the gainfully employed population.
However, while total output rose, gross fixed capital formation fell by 10.7% in 2010 to EUR 1.292.0 mln.
This clearly reflected the slump in the construction sector as investment in new buildings accounted for EUR 1,202.0 mln of this total and investment in machinery and equipment for EUR 64.9 mln.
Furniture and fixtures investment amounted to just EUR 9.7 mln and transport equipment to EUR 15.4 mln.