IRELAND & THE U.S.
A special relationship
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​The U.S. 2021 Census Bureau reports 31.5ml people living in the USA have Irish ancestry
Ireland is often cited as the 51st state of the USA!
Ireland and the U.S. have strong connections emotionally, politically and in business
Our political influence is built on solid foundations. In fact, since 1788 twenty of the forty-six US Presidents were of Irish ancestry. We are growing our trans-Atlantic business and cultural links at an unprecedented pace.
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c970 US companies in Ireland directly employ c210,000 people
A further 167,000 people indirectly
c500 Irish companies have a U.S. base
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Providing c98,000 jobs in America
There are 130 GAA clubs throughout the USA promoting Irish sport and building community
Irish Culture – music, theatre and literature have a major impact in promoting Irish culture around the globe, particularly in the U.S.
U.S. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN IRELAND
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​​Foreign Direct Investment have transformed Ireland’s economy. The majority of the investment has been by American multinational companies. It is often noted we have become the 51st state of America!
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American companies account for 80% of Ireland’s corporation tax receipts. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google all have their European headquarters in Ireland. Dublin’s “Silicon Docks” area is one of the primary European tech hubs.
Ireland is the gateway to Europe for 950 US companies directly employing 209,000 people and a further 167,000 people indirectly.
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The Irish Government has contributed greatly to this success with the formation of:
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The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) was founded in 1949. Since then, it has had consistent focus on developing relationships with the Irish business diaspora, particularly in the U.S.A. The IDA has evolved over the decades to meet the changing needs of inward foreign direct investment with incredibly significant success.
Some of the major American giants of tech and pharma who play a pivotal role in the Irish and global economy include:
Amazon
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5k people employed in Ireland
575b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Apple
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6k people employed in Ireland
383.29b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
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8k people employed in Ireland
305.63bl: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Microsoft
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3.5k people
employed in Ireland
211.915b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
INTEL
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4.9k people employed in Ireland
54.228bl: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Meta
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6k people
employed in Ireland
134b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Johnson & Johnson
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6k people employed in Ireland 85.159b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Coca Cola
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1.6k people employed in Ireland
45.75bl Annual Global Revenue 2022
2k people employed in Ireland
15bl: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Pfizer
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5k people employed in Ireland
71bl: Annual Global Revenue 2023
IRISH INVESTMENT IN THE U.S.
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Ireland is the 9th Foreign Investment bloc in the U.S. Five hundred Irish companies employ almost 100,000 people across all fifty states.
Enterprise Ireland provides unstinting support to Irish companies seeking markets in the U.S. of agencies such Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland was founded in 1998. In 2021 it invested €28 million in start-ups and supported 125 Irish companies to enter overseas markets. In 2023 Enterprise Ireland-backed companies achieved €34.57 billion in export sales globally. In 2020 Enterprise Ireland was named the world’s most active venture capital investor. Its support is life-changing for our start-up companies and our young entrepreneurs. Something to be proud of!
The top companies are principally in agri-food manufacturing, building materials, construction and services, but increasingly Irish software companies are coming to prominence in the U.S.
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Top Irish manufacturing companies in the U.S.:
CRH
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34.9b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Kingspan
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8.1b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Smurfit Kappa
11.3b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Kerry Group
8.02b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Glanbia
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5.4b: Annual Global Revenue 2023
Ornua
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3.4bn: Annual Global Revenue 2023
​​Top Irish software companies in the U.S.:
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STRIPE
Stripe is a financial technology company that provides payment processing software and services. It was founded in 2010 by brothers Patrick and John Collison from Limerick, Stripe first made its appearance on the public scene in 2011 and located in San Francisco. It now has headquarters in Dublin and San Francisco with 7,000 employees and 14b Annual Global Revenue 2022
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AMCS
AMCS is a Limerick-based AMCS founded by CEO Jimmy Martin. AMCS is the leading supplier of integrated software and vehicle technology for the waste, recycling and material resources industries. AMCS is headquartered in Ireland with offices in the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and Pennsylvania in the US.
FIRST DERIVATIVES
First Derivatives is a Newry-based firm is a global technology provider of high-performance software to a variety of industries as well as regulatory and IT consulting services to the capital markets industry. It employs about six hundred people in the USA with offices in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia
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OPENET
OPENET is a global leader in the supply of digital BSS (business support systems) and customer engagement solutions, is Ireland’s largest privately-owned software company. It employs 1,000 people worldwide, with three hundred at its Dublin-based headquarters, and the rest in 22 other global locations, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and the US Openet’s US headquarters are in Reston, Virginia, just outside Washington DC, with sales offices in San Francisco, Dallas and Orlando.
ZENITH TECHNOLOGIES
Zenith Technologies deliver manufacturing software systems to Life Sciences businesses. Founded in Cork, Ireland in 1998, Zenith has sixteen offices worldwide with over eight hundred skilled employees. The US headquarters in Pennsylvania opened in 2006, with an additional office in Philadelphia opening in 2011. In 2017, two more US offices opened in San Francisco and San Diego.
AND DID YOU KNOW...
Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google all have their European headquarters in Ireland
American companies account for 80% of Ireland’s corporation tax receipts.
Dublin’s “Silicon Docks” area is one of the primary European tech hubs.
There are 130 GAA clubs throughout the USA promoting Irish sport and building community
100,000 jobs in America are provided by Irish-owned companies
FDI in Ireland has transformed by the investment of US companies in our economy.
Irish Culture – music, theatre and literature has a major impact U.S.
20 of the 46
US Presidents are of Irish ancestry