The IPOI’s newly-published 2024 annual report states that a total of 774 patent applications were received in 2024, a 31 per cent increase from 589 in the previous year.

A total of 110 patents were granted, in line with 109 granted in 2023 but up from 71 in 2022.

At the end of the year, there were 1,260 pending patent applications on hand in the IPOI, a 62 per cent increase over the 2023 figure of 777.

Some 386 applications were awaiting the submission of evidence of novelty, up from the 2023 figure of 159. This “historically high” figure has been reducing steadily over the past number of years, according to the report.

The number of applications received from applicants in the State was 153, compared with 200 in 2023.

Over the same period, the IPOI received 2,336 national trade mark applications, leading to 1,949 registrations.

“Due to a significant turnover in staff — a 23 per cent change — this was a testing year,” the controller of intellectual property, James Kelly, noted in his foreword to the report.

“However a majority of the IPOI’s customer service targets were still met to a satisfactory level with 85 per cent being the average rate of achievement.”

He added: “Notwithstanding a slight improvement in economic growth and trends, with the domestic Irish economy performing well with low unemployment, falling inflation, and increasing wages, the year still presented serious challenges for business at national and EU level.

“Global supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation, the continued security concerns across the EU, with the ongoing war in the Ukraine and severe conflict in Gaza and the West Bank, all having a negative impact on confidence and trade.

“The economic recovery has led to a steady but modest growth in intellectual property application filings across Ireland and the European Union system.”