Ireland’s public relations and communications sector contributes €1.9 billion to the economy – a 60% jump since 2019 – according to the PRII Census 2025 which was published this week by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII).
Conducted in partnership with Amárach Research, the triennial PRII census provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the size, shape, and direction of the profession in Ireland.
According to the survey, the number of professionals in Ireland is estimated to have grown to almost 4,000, up from 3,344 in 2022. Of this, in-house public sector PR roles now make up 42% of the workforce – a dramatic increase from 25% pre-COVID in 2019.
- In terms of salaries, the average annual salary in the profession now stands at €78,000, an 18% increase since 2019. In 2025, 45% of respondents are earning €80,000 or more and 16% earning under €45,000. The survey also notes that in-house PR budgets have risen 10% since 2019.
- On the economic contribution of the PR sector, the survey notes that the gross value of the PR sector has grown from €1.2 billion in 2019 to nearly €1.9 billion in 2025.
- With artificial intelligence dominating much of the current debate in the marketing communications world, the survey found that AI adoption within the sector might be lagging. While 66% of professionals welcome artificial intelligence, two-thirds cite AI skills as their biggest training gap, and only one-third have received any formal AI training.
- When it comes to the diversity gap, just 22% of professionals believe the sector reflects Ireland’s population diversity, with socio-economic barriers and a white/female-dominated demographic cited as key issues.
- The survey also noted that remote work is here to stay and 80% of PR professionals work remotely at least once a week. In addition, 40% say they would leave their job if required to return to the office more than three days a week.
At the launch of the research findings, Paul Hand, PRII President, said: “Our sector is evolving rapidly and this research gives us the insight to shape the future for the profession, and the Institute, with confidence. Public relations is a relatively new profession globally, and clearly it is still growing in Ireland. We hope this encourages people from all backgrounds and experiences to consider a career in communications.”
“This census shows a vibrant, growing profession that is increasingly strategic and central to organisational success,” said Dr Martina Byrne, PRII CEO. “But it also flags challenges – from skills in utilising AI to making time for training and building more diverse teams,” said Byrne.
Gerard O’Neill from Amárach, who has analysed the Census for PRII since 2019, noted that: “We have seen a steady transformation of the PR sector over the past six years shaped by a deepening awareness of the need for professional communications strategies and practices in response to unprecedented change.”
