International Financial Recruitment Ltd.
Profile - Ireland
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Ireland
Background - Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen
that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the
Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven
centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed
1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921
resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties
remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of
Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for
Northern Ireland is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British
governments developed and began working to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building
on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.
Location/Geography - Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the
North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Climate - temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers;
consistently humid
National Holiday - Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Population - 4,156,119 (July 2008 est.)
Currency - euro (EUR)
Exchange Rate 2008 (est) - euros per US dollar - 0.6689 (2007 - 0.7345)
Capital - Dublin, time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Government/Legal System - republic, parliamentary democracy, based on English common law
Economy - Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in
1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply in 2008 and Ireland entered into a recession
for the first time in more than a decade with the onset of the world financial crisis. Agriculture,
once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the exports
sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy,
construction has most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending
and business investment. Property prices have risen more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to
2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four
big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg, and in 2007
surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of
national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure,
increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the
euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.
Background - Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen
that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the
Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven
centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed
1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921
resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties
remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of
Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for
Northern Ireland is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British
governments developed and began working to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building
on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.
Location/Geography - Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the
North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Climate - temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers;
consistently humid
National Holiday - Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Population - 4,156,119 (July 2008 est.)
Currency - euro (EUR)
Exchange Rate 2008 (est) - euros per US dollar - 0.6689 (2007 - 0.7345)
Capital - Dublin, time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Government/Legal System - republic, parliamentary democracy, based on English common law
Economy - Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in
1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply in 2008 and Ireland entered into a recession
for the first time in more than a decade with the onset of the world financial crisis. Agriculture,
once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the exports
sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy,
construction has most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending
and business investment. Property prices have risen more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to
2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four
big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg, and in 2007
surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of
national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure,
increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the
euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. International Financial Recruitment Ltd. Some information on this page obtained through The World Factbook.