Also in the issue:
- Government change sees new faces in IFS
- Six legal firms opt for LLP status in 2020 already in Yearbook PSG Guide
- The Finance Dublin Debt Clock has reversed direction
- Central Bank's securities markets chief Derville Rowland on Ireland's special nature as an international financial centre
- A Day in the Life - a Company Secretarial Service Provider
Ocorian's Amy McMullan provides an insight of how board business is continuing for company and financial services corporate structures in Covid-19 conditions
- Accountancy & Assurance Forum: - The Managing Partners of the Top 20 Accountancy & Assurance firms assess the state of the economy in 2020, and comment on the sector, and the outlook.
- Ireland and Luxembourg are hosting most of Europe's debt instruments
- The Irish Tax Monitor: It is important that significant tax changes which were introduced as part of Finance Act 2019 are brought back into focus.

Overall, despite the devastating and tragic impacts it has had on society, overall a hopeful picture emerges that shows the industry has coped reasonably well with the initial phase of the pandemic, and is confronting the challenges with determination. The 2020 edition of the Yearbook is available to subscribers at this link. Just as the editorial Review & Outlook section summarises the state of play across the sectors in IFS, the Yearbook's Guide sections, namely its Finance-Related Professional Services Guide, the State & Regulatory bodies, and IFS companies A-Z Guide provide updated histories of the achievements of the people, institutions and organisations and companies that are the foundation stones of what Ireland is as a financial centre as a whole. The publication provides a snapshot and a vivid representation of it and its vitality for readers, in print, and in its online dimensions, in its e-paper editions.

August 11th, 2020: State Street and Rethink Ireland have awarded €1.5 million from the Ability to Work Fund to four not-for-profit organisations who are helping develop the talents and skills of Ireland's forgotten workforce, giving employment opportunities to those living with a disability.

The survey also reveals that, while the individual rankings of the 'Top Ten' firms in Ireland did not change last year, there were significant variations in the pace of growth reported amongst individual firms in the past year.
The Programme for Government (PfG): under the microscope is the new Coalition's 159 page PfG, which contains copious and thought out strategies for financial services, taxation, the financing of the economy, including housing, SMEs, agriculture and the green dimension, which envisages Ireland achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Also, in the July issue: Funds developments, aircraft leasing and C-19, Tax moves related to Covid-19, including in the disclosures area, the Central Bank's PRISM reviews, and new legislation at European level, e.g. in the whistleblowing area, and ESG, as well as Michel Barnier's combative response to the UK latest proposals for FS in Europe after Brexit.

The 2020 Deals of the Year Awards provide inspiration regarding the potential of the markets to assist the recovery, and placing Irish Law on an international pedestal, there is clear evidence from the Awards that global recognition is being given to Ireland as an international legal hub for a range of capital markets deals and restructurings for multinational businesses with no direct connection to the jurisdiction.

In a wide ranging interview with Finance Dublin, the Managing Partner of EY Financial Services, Eoin MacManus, provides a perspective on how the financial services industry is meeting the challenge of the Covid-19 crisis, and how it may emerge from it in the medium and longer term. He spoke with the editor, Ken O'Brien in mid May, in a web interview.

The Central Bank of Ireland acted quickly to ensure the freer monetisation of the economy at the first signs of the Panedemic, adjusting its new systemic risk buffer in early March. Here, the Deputy Governor, Prudential, of the Central Bank, Ed Sibley provides an overview of the Central Bank's responses to Covid-19.

For More on the impacts of Covid-19 on the Financial services industry and the Irish Economy in individual IFS Sectors see Finance Dublin's Inside Pages.

From the April issue: 'Now the challenge should turn to the question of how to safely unlock the lockdown, so that the economic life of the nation can resume as quickly and safely as possible. This now should be the economic policy priority. Meshing perfectly with this is the decision by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to form a Government representing the decision of two of the Dail's parliamentary parties. In taking the initiative they have thrown the gauntlet down to other elected TDs, in other parliamentary parties and of none'.

See these articles on the next stages of the formation of a new Government from the March edition of Finance Dublin.

The establishment of Mancos, the development of new clusters and product lines, the structuring of funds in Irish vehicles, with Irish wrappers recording new record asset levels, such as CCFs at over €100 billion, and new agendas in areas such as ESG, and new legislative and regulatory initiatives, are among the key pillars of development examined in 'Investment Funds 2020' Special Report (right). For more articles on Investment Funds and Asset Management : click here

18th March 2020, 1600 hrs: The Central Bank has cut its systemic capital buffer by 1% (of the risk exposures of banks), freeing up significant flows of funds in the coming days. the measure comes as the minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe met banking chiefs this afternoon to discuss the move. In light of this banks after the meeting have been announcing moves to ease liquidity for personal and SME customers, including increased credit card limits, overdrafts, and stocking loans for shops. The Revenue Commissioners also announced a deferment of stamp duty on credit card transactions to July.

Finance Dublin's conference #FCSDublin 2019 in Dublin Castle on October 16th featured amongst its speakers Ken Clarke, MP, Father of the House of Commons, and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chairman of the United States Securities & Exchange Commission, the USA's most senior regulatory official for the stock markets and for other exchanges and markets. Agenda details.

FCSDublin, 2019 in Dublin Castle on October 16th featured amongst its keynote speakers the Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission of the United States.