Ireland's Appeal to US Firms: Beyond Tax to Legal and Operational Familiarity

Ireland remains a significant advantage for US companies seeking to expand into Europe, driven by a combination of factors beyond its historical tax benefits. While the OECD Pillar Two project and a 15 percent minimum corporate tax rate have eroded Ireland's tax advantage, its appeal as a gateway to the EU market has strengthened.

Mick Murray, head of foreign direct investment at AIB, and Anthony O’Halloran, international tax partner at Deloitte Ireland, highlight key differentiators. These include Ireland's English-speaking, common-law jurisdiction within the EU, which offers operational familiarity and reduced friction for US legal teams compared to civil-law EU jurisdictions like France or Germany. This alignment with EU, US, and UK legal frameworks is crucial for sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals, and financial services, ensuring legal certainty and intellectual property protections.

Ireland also offers a stable political climate, a pro-business environment, and a highly skilled, internationally mobile workforce. This talent pool, combined with the ability to attract skilled workers from across the EU, provides capability and capacity for scaling operations. The country's decades of FDI experience and established sectoral clusters further de-risk expansion for US corporates. Ultimately, Ireland offers access to the EU single market of 500 million consumers, supported by a robust ecosystem for success, though companies must still treat each European country as a distinct market.