Financial news Ireland – job market news, recruitment & career trends in Ireland for the finance sector

Junior accountants in Ireland might want to think twice before booking that plane ticket to the UK – you're likely to earn more by staying at home. The National Competitiveness Council has just produced a voluminous report on the cost of doing business in Ireland (and hence its attractiveness to international investment). This is based on the four key areas of labour, property, utilities and business services. Rather obviously, we've honed in... Read more

Here's a theory – instead of a freezing recruitment or laying off staff in an attempt to cut down on costs, why not look to retire older staff and instead focus on keeping as many young people in the workforce as possible. That way, when things do get better, you're not completely top heavy. Sadly, this idea (outlined in the latest Ernst & Young Economic Eye summer forecast) is directed towards... Read more

If the prospect of a pay rise in the Irish financial sector last year seemed like an implausible ambition, it's not entirely beyond the realms of possibility in 2010. Nearly 30% of financial services employers in Ireland surveyed by recruiters Premier Group expect to raise salaries by as much as 10% this year. Don't get too excited, though – the majority (62.8%) intend to keep pay static, while a... Read more

Ireland is facing a brain drain of newly and two-three year qualified accountants as they migrate to the City and other European locations in search of more lucrative opportunities. Swathes of relatively junior accountants have been on the receiving end of redundancy announcements in Ireland, as both Big Four and financial sector firms were forced to pare back their numbers. While Ireland is still offering scraps – six month or fixed-term contracts... Read more

Ireland's financial sector is still in the midst of a jobs crisis, which could eventually see the loss of 10,000 positions, according to the country's finance union. The headline figure from the Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) could, of course, create panic among Ireland's financial services employees, but the majority of these roles may have already been lost. However, Bank of Scotland (Ireland)'s decision to axe 750 jobs last week, and the... Read more

One of the unfortunate consequences of the Irish economy remaining in the doldrums last year was a massively increased rate of insolvency among businesses in the country. Sadly, this doesn't look like abating in 2010, but the upside of this is increased job opportunities for accountants with expertise in this area. According to data compiled by InsolvencyJournal.ie, 1,406 Irish firms were declared insolvent in 2009, which represents an 82% upswing on... Read more

After a torrid 2009 for Ireland's financial services industry, it's still slightly difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel. However, here’s our considered opinion on which sectors will fare better than others next year. 2010 could be a good year for: Fund administration: Arguably one of the largest employers within Ireland's financial services industry, fund administration has shifted from recruitment frenzy to hiring freeze over the last... Read more

Two words can be used to largely sum up the financial services jobs market in Ireland this year – hiring freeze. While it’s true that the vast majority of sectors suffered, some managed to fare well in the face of adversity. 2009 has been a good year for… Insurance: The number of new jobs created might not be astronomical, but the fact that Ireland has continued to attract new insurance entrants to... Read more

We've all seen variations on the list of common questions interviewers ask, but how much have you thought about what questions you should ask a potential employer? The best interviews are really conversations, as well they should be. You want to know if the position is the right fit - just as much as the company does. After all, the work you do makes up a good portion of your waking... Read more

Ireland has again fallen victim to Royal Bank of Scotland's wildly swinging axe, after the bank revealed it cutting 108 jobs within its asset financing unit, Lombard. RBS has deemed the division "non-core". This follows job cuts at Ulster Bank and mortgage lender First Active, both arms of the Scottish bank, over the last year. 84 of the redundancies will hit the Republic of Ireland, with the remaining 24 positions going from... Read more

If, as many in the recruitment sector will tell you, the situation is looking up for Ireland's financial services jobs market then it's a very slow process. However, adding to the gradually growing tide of optimism is the fact that there were more vacancies last month than at any other point during 2009. The number of new job vacancies in September rose by 31% on August, according to recruiters Premier Group's... Read more

The astronomical growth of Dublin's financial sector over the last few years was largely down to its ability to attract huge numbers of back office jobs within international organisations. Now, however, its appeal appears to have diminished. The turmoil surrounding Ireland's financial sector, particularly within its domestic banks, is no secret and now it appears to have damaged its reputation on the global stage. Dublin has slipped by 13 places –... Read more

Taoiseach Brian Cowen's impassioned attack on bankers' bonuses is certainly in keeping with the attitude of other politicians gathering for the G20 summit in Pittsburgh this week, but it is really reflective if the current situation in Ireland? Cowen used the words "crazy" and "obscene" to describe the figures handed out to senior banking executives in Ireland in an interview with the Sunday Independent, saying the argument that these payments were... Read more