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Business
Business Profile
The Irish ‘Celtic Tiger’ economy is currently booming and Dublin is at its heart. As the financial centre of Ireland, Dublin represents 32% of the national labour force and contributes 38% to the national GNP. The hub of the national transport system, with a strong educational and research infrastructure, the city looks well set to sustain its current economic boom, which started around 1994 when the ‘Celtic Tiger’ term was first coined. Unemployment figures for Dublin have steadily decreased in recent years and are among the lowest in Ireland at 3.4%. The national rate currently is 4.3%.
Services account for 77% of all jobs in Dublin (61% on a national level). Dublin’s highest growth industry is tourism, which has seen a 10% growth rate during the last decade. In 2001, 30% of Dublin’s overseas visitors travelled for business purposes. This figure is set to expand considerably after the completion of an international convention centre in the city’s docklands area in 2003. For the moment, the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), Merrion Road, Ballsbridge (tel: (01) 688 0866; fax: (01) 660 4014; e-mail: info@rds.ie; website: www.rds.ie), is one of the main conference venues.
Over the last few decades Dublin has established a reputation as Europe’s software capital; over 60% of business application software sold in Europe is manufactured in Ireland. Other significant market sectors include: the food industry (including Cadbury’s and Guinness), electronics (with US firms accounting for 82% of total employment), pharmaceuticals and chemicals, teleservices and retail.
Dublin is home to the Irish Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the Bank of Ireland, Central Bank and AIB. The International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) is an integral part of Dublin’s economy, employing around 6000 people and attracting such leading national and international institutions as NatWest, Bank of Ireland, Citibank, IBM and Ulster Bank to set up branches here. The IFSC is located in the old Custom House Docks area, while the traditional business district is in the Dublin 2 area.
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce is located at 7 Clare Street (tel: (01) 644 7200; fax: (01) 676 5433; e-mail: info@dubchamber.ie; website: www.dubchamber.ie), while the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) in Dublin is located at Wilton Park House, Wilton Place (tel: (01) 603 4000; fax: (01) 603 4040; e-mail: idaireland@ida.ie; website: www.idaireland.com).
Business Etiquette
Business meetings are easily fixed but this does not mean that the deal is done. Small talk leading to trust is an important element so plenty of time should be allowed to complete a deal. Due to traffic congestion during rush hour, breakfast meetings are growing in popularity. Lunch meetings are frequent, although meeting in a pub or bar (from around 1730 onwards) for a few beers and/or for dinner (at around 2000) is also common. Office hours are generally 0900–1700 or 1800.
Business style is informal; first names are used and although suits are worn, jackets may be taken off. Above all, visitors should avoid treating their Irish hosts as anything other than the modern Europeans that they are. Dublin wit is fast-flowing and engaging and is evident in most business situations. Discussion of Irish political issues is best avoided.
Business Services
Business Contacts: Dublin Chamber of Commerce
7 Clare Street, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 661 4111. Fax: (01) 676 6043.
E-mail: info@dubchamber.ie
Website: www.dubchamber.ie
Industrial Development Agency (IDA)
Ireland House, 150 New Bond Street, London W1Y 9FE
Tel: (020) 7629 5941. Fax: (020) 7629 4270.
Website: www.idaireland.com
Ireland Chamber of Commerce (USA)
556 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ 07974
Tel: (908) 286 1300. Fax: (908) 286 1200.
E-mail: info@iccusa.org
Website: www.iccusa.org
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce (Canada)
Suite 347, 201 Lloyd Manor Road, Toronto, Ontario M9B 6H6
Tel: (416) 622 7773. Fax: (416) 621 3433.
E-mail: iccc@idirect.ca
Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Australia)
Level 1, 234 Albert Road, South Melbourne, VIC 3205
Tel: (03) 9696 3716. Fax: (03) 9696 3696.
E-mail: iacc@irishaustchamber.asn.au
Website: www.austirl.com
Business libraries
Central Library
ILAC Centre, Henry Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 873 3996. Fax: (01) 872 1451.
E-mail: dubcelib@iol.ie
Enterprise Ireland’s Market Information Centre
Merrion Hall, Strand Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4
Tel: (01) 206 6000. Fax: (01) 206 6367.
Website: www.enterprise-ireland.com
A public access business library with periodicals, reference books and access to databases.
Convention and meeting planners
Ovation Group
1 Pembroke Place, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Tel: (01) 667 1711. Fax: (01) 667 1713.
E-mail: info@ovation.ie
Website: www.ovation.ie
International Conference Management
8-9 Avondale Hall, Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Tel: (01) 278 4433. Fax: (01) 278 4566.
E-mail: icmltd@eircom.net
Website: www.icm-ireland.com
Convention and meeting venues
Royal Dublin Society (RDS)
Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Tel: (01) 668 0866. Fax: (01) 660 4014.
E-mail: info@rds.ie
Website: www.rds.ie
The RDS complex comprises over 20,000 sq metres (215,285 sq ft) of conference/exhibition space (five halls and ten additional meeting rooms) on a 17-hectare (42 acres) site.
Dublin Castle Conference Centre
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 679 3713. Fax: (01) 679 7831.
E-mail: dublincastle@eirecom.net
Website: www.historic-centres.com/dublin
Ultra-modern conference room which seats 330, with simultaneous translation service, video conferencing, banqueting for 120 and meeting rooms.
Burlington Hotel
Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4
Tel: (01) 660 5222. Fax: (01) 660 5297.
E-mail: burlington@jurysdoyle.com
Website: www.jurysdoyle.com
This hotel has the widest range of facilities: a convention centre (capacity for 1500 theatre-style; banqueting for 900) and business centre for smaller meetings (16 boardrooms with fax, photocopying and secretarial services.
Office equipment hire
Harry Roberts Office Supplies
21 Pembroke Lane, Dublin 4
Tel: (01) 284 4022. Fax: (01) 280 3293.
E-mail: info@hros.ie
Website: www.hros.ie
Secretarial service
Irish Social Firms Initiative
10a Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 874 6911. Fax: (01) 873 5066.
E-mail: isfisec@iol.ie
Translation service
Global Translations
14 The Drive, Woodpark, Ballinteer, Dublin 16
Tel: (01) 296 0533. Fax: (01) 296 4126.
E-mail: glbtrans@iol.ie or eectrans@iol.ie
Website: www.globaltranslations.ie
Unusual conference venue
Trinity College
Accommodation Office, Trinity College, Dublin 2
Tel: (01) 608 1177. Fax: (01) 671 1267.
E-mail: reservations@tcd.ie
Website: www.tcd.ie/accommodation
Lecture theatres with overhead and slide projection are available for hire from June to September; the largest seats 400. Year-round (themed) banquets can be arranged for 1800 (250 seated).
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General
