Latest figures from IDA Ireland, Ireland’s Foreign Investment Agency, have shown that 70 individual investments related to Brexit, with over 5,000 associated jobs, have been approved since the UK’s EU referendum in June 2016. In January 2018, IDA Ireland announced record results with nearly 230,000 people now employed in foreign direct investment (FDI) companies.
CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan shared the new figures during a recent presentation at the Harvard Club in New York at a conference hosted by Irish Central called “Understanding Brexit.” IDA Executives across the world hosted events throughout the week to mark St. Patrick’s Day.
“These updated figures are another reminder of how our European Union membership and stable pro-enterprise policies are appealing to investors who are looking for certainty,” said Shanahan. “For U.S. companies with ambitions to be global players, Ireland is a natural fit for their international operations.”
IDA Ireland has worked with clients throughout the Brexit process. Uncertainty remains on the final business impact of Brexit as negotiations continue. Increased transaction costs, fears about regulatory divergence, and tariffs are among the concerns expressed by investors.
Dublin remains the most popular choice for financial services firms to relocate post-Brexit, according to EY’s Brexit Tracker.
To date in Ireland companies that have announced investments connected to Brexit include Barclays, Morgan Stanley, TD Securities, Wasdell, Delphi/Aptiv, Simmons & Simmons, S&P Global, Thomson Reuters, Equilend and Coinbase.