1 October 2026, check against delivery
Good afternoon - it is a pleasure to address you all here at the Irish Funds Annual Global Funds Conference 2026.
I would like to start by thanking Pat Lardner for organising today’s event, which I understand will be his last Global Conference, after 14 years as CEO.
It’s fair to say that those 14 years have been a time of significant change, disruption and transformation, including for your sector, and navigating those many challenges as CEO is no small feat.
You have navigated it all with skill and grace, and I wish you the very best of luck in your
adventures to come.Fittingly, for the final annual conference with Pat at the helm, I am glad to see there is certainly no shortage of ambition for this year’s event, with a theme of ‘Ireland: Powering the Global Investment Future’
I endorse that theme, and I share the view that this conference comes at a time when Ireland’s role within the global financial ecosystem has never been more vital and impactful.
Tá súil agam go gcuirfidh an chomhdháil seo timpeallacht thairbheach ar fáil le go mbeidh sibh ábalta machnamh a dhéanamh ar na forbairtí sciobtha ag tarlú san earnáil.
We are all aware of rapid developments and challenges arising from the advent of the AI economy, and wider geo-political upheaval, but also the ever-increasing need for Europe to finance its critical investment needs in terms of energy, infrastructure and security.
Across all these areas, there is an important role for the funds industry.
While the funds sector in Ireland is global in nature, it is unmistakeably local in flavour.
The industry continues to thrive and currently employs almost 20,000 people, with nearly half of these jobs located outside of Dublin.
From Kilkenny to Galway and from Cork to Donegal, the scale and importance of your sector to our economy is the result of a sustained partnership between Government and industry, driven by the Ireland for Finance strategy.
From the launch of the first strategy in 2015, Ireland for Finance has provided a clear roadmap for the continued growth and development of the sector.
However, while we currently occupy a position of strength, we know there is no room for complacency.
Our vigilance against complacency is why we launched the Ireland for Finance Vision 2030 in August and set out an ambitious roadmap to support continued growth, innovation and competitiveness in the years ahead.
We want to deepen expertise and embrace the technological change that will be central to Ireland's position at the heart of European and global markets in the future.
In a world which often seems uncertain, we want Ireland to be the beneficiary of emerging technologies such as AI, digital assets and tokenisation, supporting our ambition to become a leading centre for financial innovation.
Ultimately, the success of the strategy will continue to depend on the strong sense of partnership that has underpinned the sector's growth to date.
We are up to the challenge, and we know you are too.
Given our current Presidency of the Council of EU, we are playing a significant role in progressing the EU’s Savings and Investments Union Strategy.
The goals of the SIU are clear. Making cross-border investments easier; improving financing options for companies; and increasing retail participation in capital markets.
These objectives become ever more crucial given the scale of the challenges we currently face.
Unlocking the significant levels of funding that European companies require to scale up, innovate, and become more competitive, as well as to manage the green and digital transitions must be our priority.
Ireland is a strong supporter of the SIU project, and we are deeply engaged in advancing its proposals during our Presidency.
One of the key demonstrations of our intent is our determination to broker a balanced and ambitious agreement on the Market Integration and Supervision Package.
Reaching agreement will require flexibility and compromise. During our Presidency, we are committed to conducting the negotiations in an ambitious, balanced and constructive manner and we have been clear in our objective to secure agreement on a Council mandate at the October ECOFIN meeting.
We also see that SIU can have real benefits for ordinary savers and investors and that’s why we particularly want to see progress in areas which can tangibly benefit our citizens.
Increasing retail participation in capital markets presents a great opportunity for individuals to make their hard-earned money work for them and to increase their long-term financial wellbeing.
For companies, increased retail participation opens possibilities for increased investment which compliments the wider goal of European competitiveness.
That is why the Government has announced the development of an Investment Account for Ireland.
This will position Ireland to enhance financial literacy and opportunity for households, while deepening our capital markets for the benefit of the wider economy.
We know we have a world-class fund services offering here, and we know there is an opportunity for our citizens to involve themselves in retail investment to improve their own financial outcomes.
This is an opportunity to bring the experience of your industry to bear for all our people.
We will announce further details on the account on Budget Day but we must not lose sight of the long-term goal of developing an investment culture that benefits people and families from all walks of life.
This a significant challenge, but the opportunities if we succeed are significant and could have long-term benefits across our society.
If people are to take advantage of this opportunity, they need confidence, information and trusted guidance. That is why financial literacy is so critical.
The Investment Account’s success and the success of the National Financial Literacy Strategy are deeply connected.
One creates opportunity. The other helps people seize it.
Together, they can foster a stronger investment culture in Ireland.
Last year, this Government launched Ireland’s first National Financial Literacy Strategy; a vital initiative to provide people with a better understanding of how to invest responsibly and to adequately balance the risks and benefits linked to investing.
I know the Government has a key role to play here.
But industry can also step up to play a leadership role in helping people identify simple and trusted products and take them on a sustainable and responsible path to economic resilience.
Together, we can develop a culture by which people see and trust financial institutions as working for them.
As a final point I would like to touch on an issue which should be our watch word, and which is something we have integrated into our priorities for our Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Competitiveness.
Competitiveness is one of the three thematic pillars across our Presidency programme in addition to values, and security.
Together, these principles guide all aspects of our work.
Competitiveness is critical for the EU’s long-term economic growth. As such, it is essential to making sure that we are in a position to finance the critical strategic investments of our times.
The financial services sector has been a strong performer, but we know there is more that we can do.
For the Government’s part, we will ensure that while the world is changing around us, Ireland will continue to advocate for clear and consistent regulation that; supports growth,
- maintains financial stability,
- underpins investor protection,
- and ensures we keep pace with international and technological developments.
We will also continue to ensure that Ireland is a stable and predictable environment for enterprises as they grow and invest.
For our approach to continue to succeed, we will continue to work with global partners and build on our connections, on our shared values and on our shared interests, including around innovation.
We have had marked success on this in the past, but that was hard fought.
I want each of you to leave this conference reassured that I as Taoiseach and we as a government are still very much up for that fight - and I am confident that Ireland and our thriving finance eco-system will remain a driving force in Europe’s capital markets going forward.
Go raibh maith agaibh arís as deis a thabhairt dom a bheith libh tráthnóna agus tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh taitneamh as an gcuid eile den tráthnóna.
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