“Brexit-ready” Ireland sets out ambitions to seize financial services opportunities from UK
The Irish government this morning set out its ambitions to assert itself and seize opportunities presented by Brexit.
Speaking at an international financial services conference in Dublin, Prime Minister Enda Kenny declared the nation “Brexit-ready”.
Kenny also said that he would seek to “negotiate hard and fair” as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.
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He told the European Financial Forum: “My message to you is that Ireland’s IFS [international financial services] sector is Brexit-ready: we’re well prepared for the changes that Brexit may bring.”
He also said:
Clearly Brexit presents challenges for this country. But it also offers us opportunities to attract new operations to our shores, while also retaining existing activities by ensuring that Ireland’s IFS offerings remain very competitive.
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The conference was also opened by Eoghan Murphy, minister of state for financial services, and Martin Shanahan, chief executive of IDA Ireland, a body which seeks to attract foreign investment into the country.
Shanahan told the conference: “Without doubt, London will remain a major global financial centre. But in our view Brexit creates the potential for other centres, including Dublin, to expand.
“We believe that this rebalancing of the industry footprint across Europe will happen even if the UK negotiates an acceptable arrangement with the EU.”