Ireland at the heart of Europe

Ireland is the Gateway to Europe

As an open economy, situated at the centre of the Eurozone yet accessible to both the US and Asia Pacific markets, Ireland is the strategic destination of choice for many multinational, high growth companies.

Ireland offers numerous benefits to both business leaders and their employees in terms of a location to cultivate business as well as family life. A high standard of living, where there is access to a well-developed infrastructure, excellent education opportunities at all levels, a strong sense of community and a collective drive to foster entrepreneurship and nurture growth in the economy.

Ireland is where different business sectors grow in harmony

Ireland provides an astute blend of the commercial and the creative, a fruitful combination that works for all. One remarkable aspect of Ireland’s industrial success is the sheer variety of varying business sectors that work in close proximity – sharing in and contributing to overall collective success.
The common ground all these enterprises enjoy is their active participation in a pro-business, technologically advanced environment.

Many of the world’s leading companies have chosen to set up in Ireland, including:

  • 9 of the top 10 global software companies
  • 9 of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies
  • 3 of the top 6 game publishers

Ireland has access to all EU markets

As a long standing member of the European Union, and one of 19 countries that use the Euro currency, Ireland enjoys barrier-free access to a potential market of 500 million customers. This offers rich export opportunities for companies based here. Furthermore, the open economy makes it more straightforward to trade on both Euro and International markets.

For the last 40 years, there has been a focus on attracting quality foreign direct investment (FDI) from companies across many sectors, most notably in hi-tech areas like Digital and Social Media, Information and Communication Technologies and Pharmaceuticals.

Ireland’s favourable tax regime

Our 12.5% corporate tax rate on trading income is one of the factors that has made Ireland very attractive as a global investment location. It has one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world. Other features of Ireland’s competitive tax regime include;

  • A 25% Research and Development tax credit
  • An intellectual property (IP) regime, which provides a tax write-off for broadly defined IP acquisitions
  • An attractive holding company regime, including participation exemption for gains on disposals of most shares
  • An effective zero tax rate for foreign dividends (12.5% tax rate on qualifying foreign dividends, with flexible onshore pooling of foreign tax credits)
  • An EU-approved stable tax regime, with access to extensive double taxation agreement network and EU directives
  • Generous domestic law, supporting withholding tax exemptions
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