Why Ireland: Stable, resilient and reliable

In tumultuous times, stability has never been more valuable, especially for businesses looking to plan for the long term and grow in new markets.

In Ireland, stability is what we do.

Since the beginning of this decade alone, there has been a global pandemic, geopolitical upheaval due to conflict, trade tension and supply chain disruptions. Yet Ireland’s economy has remained strong; the fundamentals are robust and we count on a pro-enterprise policy that has been in place for several decades.

More than 1,800 businesses have availed of Ireland’s reputation for reliability as a proven, stable location that supports international markets. As a small open economy, within the European Union, Ireland offers investors the track record and trusted relationships built up over decades, says IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan. 

Ireland is ideally placed from a geographical perspective to serve as a gateway to the extensive European marketplace, offering companies access to a broad customer base and numerous business opportunities. 

“I fundamentally believe that for economies to continue to prosper, for companies to continue to invest internationally, they need locations like Ireland, they need to be able to go to locations that are proven, that are trusted, that are strong partners. Ireland is a real hub for international access whether into Europe or to the rest of the world. We’re very confident in what we offer,” he says.

What Ireland offers is founded on three pillars: stability and support; people and place; and ecosystem and environment. 

Stability and support

Multinationals are drawn to Ireland due to its predictable and stable business environment, which facilitates ease of operations and long-term planning. ​“In my experience, what investors across the world are looking for is policy certainty and stability: a proven location with good talent that supports international business. Uncertainty leads to lack of decisions and lack of investment, and we’re very conscious of that from an Ireland perspective,” Michael Lohan adds.

Often, companies that set up operations go on to re-invest in Ireland, expanding their sites far beyond their original mandate. IDA Ireland’s consistently positive annual results reaffirm the country’s resilience and continued attractiveness for investment.

That feeling is borne out by research from EY, which found that Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for FDI remains strong. The 2024 latest EY Attractiveness Survey Ireland found that 66% of key investment decision makers expect that Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for foreign direct investment will improve in the coming three years.

Ireland offers a mix of competitive taxes and incentives, allied to a business-friendly environment that’s geared towards helping enterprises flourish. 

People and place

Ireland’s education system and emphasis on innovation have cultivated a highly skilled workforce attractive to foreign investors. Our emerging talent spans technical, business and creative disciplines. We benefit from having Europe’s second youngest population. It is also one of the most educated and diverse workforces in the world, where 34% of the population is aged 25 or less, while our rate of completion for third level education is higher than the EU average (62.7% compared to 43.1%).

Many of our universities and higher education institutions work closely with multinationals, developing courses and modules that closely match industry needs. And our workforce is internationally focused: there are 200 different nationalities represented in Ireland, and 22% of employees at FDI companies in Ireland – nearly one in four people – come from beyond these shores.

And our past success in attracting leading names has been a net positive. It might seem counterintuitive, but the presence of some of the industry’s leading names in close proximity is a benefit, not a barrier, to more recent arrivals, believes Jon Ross, Zendesk’s VP of Product, Messaging.

“Dublin is such a hub for big tech companies that you might think ‘if we come to Dublin, we’re going to be competing with all of them, we won't be able to get good staff’. But I think the opposite is true. Because we’ve got such a base of well recognised brands in Dublin, that actually brings qualified people from all over Europe here,” he says. 

Our partnership approach also extends to the business relationships we cultivate with companies. Ruairi Conroy, VP of sales development with the software company Diligent, speaks about how IDA Ireland was at its side during various “sprint moments” as the business expanded its operations in Galway. “It genuinely does feel like a partnership rather than a one-and-done, and the after-sales experience is excellent too,” he says. 

Ecosystem and environment

Ireland offers the means and opportunity for companies to innovate. R&D investment by IDA client companies were at record levels, in the agency’s most recent annual results. IDA Ireland remains committed to continuing this progress by enhancing supports for R&D activity.

One example of how Ireland is pushing boundaries is the announcement in March 2025 by the university spinout, Equal1, of a breakthrough in developing the world’s first silicon-based quantum server which consumes less power than other quantum machines. The company also owes its origins to the presence of multinationals in Ireland. Jason Lynch, Equal1’s CEO, began his career at Analog Devices, which first set up operations in Ireland in the 1970s.

“Quantum computing will be the next wave of growth for the semiconductor industry here in Ireland,” says Lynch. “For me, it’s the idea that Ireland is a small enough community that we can get together and do something meaningful with impact on the global stage.”

That compact size is also benefiting teams of researchers across academia and healthcare who are exploring new cell and gene therapies which have the potential to treat previously incurable illnesses.

Conclusion

Business craves certainty, as any wise investor knows. And in times of upheaval, removing risk from the equation is a good strategy. It’s what makes Ireland a safe harbour and why, for IDA Ireland, sustainability has a second meaning: it stands for both a commitment to climate goals and decarbonisation, but also making businesses more resilient against external shocks and risk. 

That’s why sustainability is not just a key pillar of IDA Ireland’s strategy; it’s also an illustration of how we do business here in Ireland. When a company chooses to set up operations here, it is not the closing of the deal but the opening of a dialogue; an ongoing partnership that benefits all.

Ireland. More than a Location: An Ecosystem for Extraordinary