Cork ready to deliver on national financial services ambition, Summit hears

Government, regulator and industry leaders gather in Cork as Ireland for Finance sets 2030 target of 70,000 jobs
Cork’s financial services sector is positioned to deliver a significant share of the Government’s ambition to grow international financial services employment to 70,000 by 2030, more than 200 leaders from across the sector heard at the Cork Financial Services Forum Annual Summit today.

Hosted at Clayton Hotel Cork City, the summit brought together leaders from industry, the Department of Finance, the Central Bank of Ireland and academia to examine the sector’s next phase of growth in the context of the Ireland for Finance Strategy 2026–2030.

The strategy commits to locating at least a quarter of international financial services jobs in the regions. As Ireland’s second-largest financial services centre, Cork is home to 25 international financial services companies employing almost 2,000 professionals. More than 730 financial services jobs have been announced in the region over the past 18 months.

President of Cork Chamber, Susie Horgan said, “Cork Chamber established the Cork Financial Services Forum in 2008 because we knew the sector’s growth would depend on industry, policymakers and educators working together. Today shows what that collective voice achieves: the Department of Finance, the Central Bank and the sector’s leaders in one room, in Cork, focused on what comes next.

“The national ambition is clear, and Cork is ready to support it and drive growth in the sector. Attracting investment matters, but so does creating an environment where indigenous businesses and start-ups can thrive and scale. That depends on the delivery of housing, transport and infrastructure that allow firms to grow here and attract the talent they need. That is where the Chamber’s advocacy is focused, and we will keep pushing for it.”

Chair of the Cork Financial Services Forum, David Bennett, EY, added, “Ireland built its financial services sector on trust and that remains our greatest asset. But trust alone will not secure the next phase of growth. In digital assets and tokenisation, scale and ecosystems matter, and Ireland must move with ambition as well as care.

“Strong regional centres give Ireland a broader, deeper and more resilient proposition. Cork has the firms, the skills and the track record. Talent is consistently what draws firms to Cork, and our universities provide a strong pipeline of graduates ready to build careers in the sector. The Forum’s members are committed to working with Government and the Central Bank to deliver the 2030 ambition, here and across the country.”