Practice Areas

Inward Investment

Over the past thirty years, Ireland has been a key location for foreign owned companies looking to establish a foothold in Europe or expanding their operations overseas. Currently approximately 1500 foreign owned companies, mainly in the technology, pharmaceutical, biosciences, manufacturing and financial services sectors, have invested in Ireland and play a key role in the performance of the Irish economy.

In 2009, Ireland remains a premium location for business establishment and continues to attract sizeable inward investments projects. Recently, large corporations such as Facebook, IBM, Goa (Orange), Amazon, Blizzard (Vivendi), Boston Scientific, Business Objects have made significant investments in Ireland.

Incentives include:

• an open and transparent tax regime
• the 12.5% corporation tax rate which applies to all companies.
• double taxation agreements with 46 countries
• favourable tax incentives given to intellectual property and to research & development investment.
• patent tax exemption
• grant incentives

Up to the recent past, the principal goal of state investment policy has been employment creation, especially in technology-intensive and high-skill industries. More recently, the Irish Government has increasingly supported efforts by foreign-invested companies to sustain their international competitiveness through R&D enhancements, productivity improvements and the marketing/sales of higher-value goods and services.

Today, Ireland emerges as a magnet for internet / digital media investment and a global center for the biopharmaceutical business with industry leaders making Dublin the hub of their respective European operations.

Our services for Inward Investors

Mason Hayes & Curran advise international corporations on all aspects of investing in Ireland.

Mason Hayes & Curran is a successful Irish law firm and it is committed to promoting Ireland as a location for business investment. To this end we have established representative offices in both New York and most recently London, two of Ireland's most important conduits for inward investment.

As a full service business law firm, we understand the many and varied challenges that corporation's face when locating in a foreign country and have the necessary skills to assist you during your initial set-up and for your ongoing legal requirements.

We provide pragmatic and efficient tax and legal solutions on all aspect of inward investment, including:

• Tax aspects of restructurings and reorganisation projects involving Irish entities or assets
• Negotiations with IDA Ireland, banks and other regulatory bodies
• Regulatory and competition law issues
• Government incentives for overseas investors
• Company formation and related establishment of operations

Links:

For enquiries relating to International Business or if you are a International client, please contact our International Business Team or if you wish to consult our recent publication Ireland as a Business Location for further information on setting up or growing a business in Ireland.

Contact:

Should you wish to find out more about how we can assist you and your business please do not hesitate to contact one of the team members listed adjacent.

Our People

• Declan Moylan
  Head of Department
  
• Emer Gilvarry
  Partner
• Declan Black
  Partner
• Liam Brazil
  Partner
• Fionán Breathnach
  Partner
• Paul Egan
  Chairman of Corporate
• John Gulliver
  Tax Partner
• Justin McKenna
  Partner
• Philip Nolan
  Partner
• David O'Donnell
  Partner
• Christine O'Donovan
  Partner
• Ian O'Herlihy
  Partner