Company: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Ireland as a centre for Islamic finance (seriously)

It’s a tad ironic, perhaps, that a nation with one of the proportionately largest Roman Catholic populations in the world is turning to Islamic finance for new opportunities. Are Ireland’s ambitions realistic, and what jobs are likely to be created if it succeeds? Any new jobs are still a way off, but the Irish government [...]

By Paul Clarke, 19 August 2010 • 0 comments

Counting the employee cost of the ‘third force’ in Irish banking

A three-way merger of EBS, Irish Nationwide and Permanent TSB could lead to the closure of some 120 branches across Ireland, or nearly half their combined total. The forecast in a note by Davy Stockbrokers has suggested the merged mutuals’ group – which it is predicted could become a ‘third force’ in Irish banking – [...]

By Nic Paton, 5 March 2010 • 0 comments

Another reason Ireland may lose financial services jobs

Overly-punitive income tax could drive away financial services talent in Ireland, and if Brian Lenihan hikes it further in next week’s budget, expect something of a mini-exodus from the IFSC in the near future. Over the last 18 months, the marginal rate of tax has jumped from less than 44% to over 52%, and there’s [...]

By Paul Clarke, 3 December 2009 • 0 comments

Can Ireland continue to attract international financial services firms?

The number of new jobs created by international financial services firms in Ireland has been on a downward trajectory for a couple of years, but hit a five-year low in 2008. Obviously, the economic situation has got a lot worse this year, but it could be 2010 before the real impact is felt. Last year, [...]

By Paul Clarke, 15 September 2009 • 0 comments

Will foreign banks retreat from Ireland?

Foreign-owned banks operating in Ireland have been hit nearly as hard as their domestic rivals by the slumping economic conditions and have been scaling back. But do comments from Dutch firm Rabobank that it’s now “impossible” to trade in Ireland suggest an exodus is on the cards? Rabobank’s Irish subsidiary, ACC Bank, has cut 200 [...]

By Paul Clarke, 8 September 2009 • 0 comments

Jobs coming at the new regulator?

A new dawn of financial regulation in Ireland is supposed to have been ushered in under the Central Bank of Ireland Commission – a decidedly more toothy watchdog for the financial system. It also promises a raft of new jobs, so when are these likely to be created? On Friday it was finally formally announced [...]

By Paul Clarke, 23 June 2009 • 0 comments

Redundancies and pay freezes…but promotions for the right people

It might not be a massive surprise to employees in Ireland’s beleaguered financial services sector, but two thirds of firms are considering job cuts and the majority are pessimistic about the current business environment. However, a large proportion of CEOs believe one of the challenges this year is keeping hold of the staff they want. [...]

By Paul Clarke, 24 March 2009 • 0 comments

Bad times for Big Four accountants

Things aren’t looking so great for employees at the Big Four accountancy firms in Ireland. After KPMG’s revelation that it would not be extending the contracts of qualifying trainees this year, PricewaterhouseCoopers has now announced a 10% cut in salaries for the majority of its staff. Not surprisingly, a lot of them are exploring other [...]

By Paul Clarke, 26 February 2009 • 2 comments

Big Four firms keen to grab graduates

Graduate opportunities at Irish banks might be drying up, but the Big Four accountancy firms are recruiting for 2009 with the same fervour as last year. And competition for places is heating up. There’s a distinctly frosty feel to graduate recruitment at Ireland’s two biggest banks. Allied Irish Bank has cancelled its scheme entirely this [...]

By Paul Clarke, 22 October 2008 • 1 comment