US technology business Microsoft has become the biggest exporting company in Ireland a report has said.

Investec is a top international, specialist-banking group with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Google, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Ingersoll Rand followed Microsoft, the report said.

Of the top 20 exporting firms recorded in the report, nine are concentrated within the ICT arena, with seven in the pharma and medical sectors, in line with the report.

“Our exporting businesses, both Irish and transnational, have delivered outstanding accomplishments in the last four years, and record rates of job-development,” said Irish Occupations minister Richard Bruton.

Nearly half of the 125,000 additional occupations that have been created have been in exporting firms, Bruton said.