Technological innovation expenditure for 2014 was estimated at €85.7 million, a report from the National Statistics Offices has shown.

Between 2012 and 2014, 612 enterprises employing at least 10 persons – just over a third of the total – undertook some form of innovation activity.

Of these, 126 enterprises were engaged solely in technological innovation, 207 enterprises were engaged in non-technological innovation and the remaining 279 were involved in both.

Fourteen per cent were involved with computer programming, followed by those active in the financial services sector.

The survey revealed that 486 enterprises were engaged in organisational and/or marketing innovations, with organisational innovation predominant over marketing innovation. Low demand for innovations in the market and little competition were the two main obstacles which hindered non-innovative enterprises from engaging in innovative activities.

The NSO reported that only 4.9 per cent of enterprises applied for at least one type of intellectual property right or licence.

Registering a trademark and applying for a patent were the two main types of intellectual property rights and licences applied for.