By Business & Finance 
Michael Jackson, Managing Partner, Matheson
In a speech to the American Chamber today, Michael Jackson, Managing Partner of leading law firm Matheson said ‘Ireland to become an even more important gateway to EU markets for US companies’
The substance behind the Irish-US trade and investment relationship is set to drive an even stronger flow of business between the countries over the coming years, according to Michael Jackson, Managing Partner of leading Irish law firm Matheson. He was speaking today to an audience of 250 members of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland at their Annual Cork lunch.
Commenting on the strong US-Irish trading relationship Jackson said: “Notwithstanding global uncertainty around trade policy and US tax reform as well as the challenges around Brexit, we see the Irish-US relationship growing stronger, and Ireland becoming an even more important gateway to EU markets for US companies.
“Ireland has a history of providing legal and regulatory certainty, tax certainty, access to European markets and substance, in a global market where all of these factors are essential for international business to grow and thrive. Ireland is and will remain a committed member of the European Union, the largest global trading block, and Ireland is committed to its 12.5% corporation tax rate.
“We believe that many US companies seeking to navigate access to the EU market post Brexit will see an even greater role for Ireland and that the current substantial numbers of people employed in Ireland by US companies will ultimately increase.
“We also believe that we will see an increase in the number of Irish companies operating and employing substantial numbers in the United States. It is often forgotten that there are currently 700 Irish companies employing over 80,000 people in the US.
“Those numbers confirm that the US-Irish trade relationship is a substantive one based on free trade with opportunities for both sides. Free, fair and open trade based on substance and shared opportunity offers a credible, sustainable path to long term growth and prosperity.
“As the law firm of choice for internationally-focused companies and financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland, and having recently opened an office in San Francisco, our third US office, Matheson is proud to work with the American Chamber of Commerce and to support the Chamber’s Annual Cork Business Lunch.”
