The Spanish Economy Minister declared his candidacy for the role of president of the Eurogroup, the influential body of EU Finance ministers responsible for policy regarding the euro, Reuters reported. Ireland's Paschal Donohoe has already declared his candidacy for a third term as president of the Eurogroup, commencing on July 12th next.

Setting out his vision for the euro's development and stabilising role in the context of global trade undertainty in an interview in the Finance Dublin Yearbook 2025 this month, Minister Donohoe gave a realistic but optimistic assessment of the euro's role as a stabilising entity in 2025 and going forward during his prospective term, which would be for a further two and a half years.

The 2025 Finance Dublin Yearbook presents the views of a collection of 22 thought leaders on the current outlook, including our exclusive interview with the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, as he declares his candidacy for a third term as President of the Eurogroup, the Eurozone's influential policy committee of Finance Ministers, the EC Commissioner for the Economy, and the President of the European Central Bank.

The interview with the Minister is on the topic of the euro, and in it he addresses issues including the potential reserve currency role of the euro, trade talks between the EU and the US, and coming reforms to the euro, its membership, and its role in relation to the new European Commission's strategy to strengthen the European economy.

The 2025 Yearbook profiles new entrants and updates the Directory sections to provide profiles of over 500 companies and organisations and over 1,000 individual professionals and executives.

The June issue of Finance Dublin features the 2025 Deals of the Year Awards, which celebrate the achievements of the Irish capital markets and corporate finance dealmaking and advisory community - detailed in the 62 articles in this month's issue published today, each profiling the deals that are recognised this year.

The 2025 awards recognise 62 deals in five major categories, providing an overall picture of buoyancy and deepening expertise and links with global capital markets ecosystems, in spite of the record uncertainty and headwinds in geopolitics.

Analysis of the Finance and Financial Services related Professional Services industry in Ireland is the cover story in this month's issue, a vital plank of the platform for the country's economic strength, and a foundation of its viability and indeed excellence as an international financial centre and jurisdiction. The strength of Ireland legal services industry is a major advantage for Ireland at a time of grave uncertainty, prompted by the capricious policies of the US Government in economic, monetary, and indeed political, defence and security arenas. We opine that while this turn of events is regrettable there may even be some silver linings for the health of the Irish economy as an unintended and not necessarily to be welcomed consequence.

Numerous indicators point to the finance and FS-related Professional Services industry is thriving in Ireland. Servicing areas such as investment funds, aviation leasing and structured finance in the M&A, Equity Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets, Loans and Financing and Financial Services areas tracked in the Finance Dublin Deals of the Year Awards research (forthcoming) show rude health and despite the uncertainty prompted by the changed global economy we suggest that there may well be some silver linings. And, whatever happens, we suggest that there should be no grounds for rethinking the economic model that has served Ireland well for over half a century as part of any response.

The Central Bank's progress and latest developments in revamping its Fitness & Probity are also featured in this issue, as does a Day in the Life with Forvis Mazar's Head of Financial Regulation Consulting, Kian Caulwell.

With the US Administration to the fore in dominating the global tax agenda through its radical and aggressive tariffs policy the Irish Tax Monitor is dominated by matters relating to how the threat of this to international trade can be mitigated in practical terms.

Regarding the St Patrick's Day visit of the Taoiseach to Washington DC this month we conclude that "Ireland should not lose faith in the economic model that it has followed since as a newly fledged state it worked things out economic policy-wise in the 1950s. Indeed it is time for it to double down on that, to work on it to make it better and to extend its reach and benefits, both in the domestic economy, and in other countries through its reach in both its exports and its capital flows and investments into other countries. That effort of persuasion begins with the United States".

This analysis is supported by our two page economics feature that examines the roots of the economics theories that are apparently being followed in Washington, comparing them to the principles of 'Reaganomics', that also share many of the foundational elements of the Irish economic model.

The model is resulting in the fiscal and balance of payments surplus, and the continued prosperity of Ireland. This prosperity is, again, evident in the Nominations for the Finance Dublin Deals of the Year Awards 2025, profiled in this edition, and which will be announced in the forthcoming May edition. As a perusal of the list and the record number of nominations reveals the broad nature of the deals activity reported is vivid evidence broadly of what a healthy growing economy looks like.

The cover article this month assesses the implications for Ireland's economy, trade and, importantly, capital flows in light of the materially changed global trade environment resulting from US President Trump's unfolding policy agenda, and the Executive Actions signed by him to date. It also puts in perspective the implications of the White House Executive Order threatening a withdrawal by the US from the OECD - sponsored " Global Tax Deal" signed in 2021, the global tax treaty agreement underpinning Ireland's Corporation Tax system.

Extensive research conducted by EY into Ireland's financial centre potentials amongst over 140 industry participants in 2023 has resulted in the accumulation of a body of insights on the potentials for the IFS sector in Ireland. EY's Managing partner in charge of IFS Colin Ryan says that some 27,000 jobs can be added to the Irish IFS sector by 2028.

Ahead of the agreement of Ireland's new Government the final issue of 2024 analyses the national economic and financial agenda agenda reflecting the reality that tax (and the importance of getting corporation tax right, particularly with regard to Ireland's interface with the USA) is at the centre of that new agenda, and its economic potentials.

There are potential risks to Irish corporate tax revenues from US statements about tariffs and a 15% US corporation tax rate - also examined in the November issue of Finance Dublin but positive and enlightened engagement on the part of the new Irish Government can turn perceived difficulty in effect into opportunity, it says.

Writing in the November issue (page 8 of the E paper) Assistant Secretary of the Department Michael J McGrath says 'we want to ensure that Ireland maintains its leading position in asset management and funds servicing, and that we continue to see support for what is an important national industry and has a vital role to play in deepening our EU capital markets'.

We comment: 'That endorsement of 'an important national industry' is significant, and it is likely to mean a lot, not just in light of Ireland's global position as the second largest funds domicile in the EU, but in anticipation of Ireland's impending assumption of the EU presidency in 2026, and indeed in relation to the nature of Ireland's engagement with the US in view of the incoming new US presidency.

There are potential risks to Irish corporate tax revenues from US statements about tariffs and a 15% US corporation tax rate - examined in the issue also (see pages 3, 5, 32, 54 in the E paper) but, as we comment, positive and enlightened engagement can turn perceived difficulty in effect into opportunity. A quotation attributed to one time US Trade Secretary Wilbur Ross about tariffs, a first term President Trump Cabinet appointee provides an insight as to the strategy 'Ireland Inc', and the incoming Government should follow in engaging with the new US Administration on trade matters coming up (see page 8 of the E paper).