Ireland ranks highly compared to other countries in several key measures for doing business such as being the top destination for foreign direct investment based on average project value, having the 9th easiest process for starting a business, offering the most attractive investment incentives, and having the 2nd most open business legislation to foreign investors. Ireland also ranks highly in other factors like skilled labor availability, workforce flexibility, scientific infrastructure, and education levels.

1. HOW IRELAND COMPARES? www.idaireland.com
THE BEST SMALL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO DO BUSINESS.
Q1, 2013
DS
ND
AN
RLA
E
Y
Y
OR
ND
ERL
AN
AR
E
E
P
A
IL
NC
AN
INA
ITZ
LA
NG
RM
GA
IN
IA
SSI
TH
AZ
A
FRA
SPA
IND
JAP
IRE
SW
HU
SIN
CH
UK
RU
NE
GE
US
BR
Top destination
countries
for FDI 1ST 17TH 12TH 21ST 18TH 32ND 23RD 5TH 14TH 39TH 2ND 24TH 4TH 7TH 29TH
(by average project
value, based on
value of jobs) Source: IBM Global Location Trends Facts and Figures 2012
Ease of
Starting a 9TH 101ST 124TH 20TH 71ST 32ND 136TH 80TH 54TH 87TH 4TH 122ND 61ST 16TH 11TH
Business
Source: Global Innovation Index 2012
Investment
Incentives
(attractive 1ST 24TH 22ND 20TH 17TH 47TH 36TH 52ND 10TH 49TH 2ND 46TH 4TH 25TH 12TH
to foreign
investors)
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Business
Legislation
– openness 2ND 44TH 52ND 27TH 8TH 25TH 48TH 47TH 6TH 55TH 13TH 26TH 16TH 1ST 21ST
to foreign
investors
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Labour
Productivity 3RD 51ST 55TH 5TH 16TH 32ND 59TH 27TH 9TH 40TH 15TH 10TH 20TH 18TH 4TH
(PPP) US $
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Unit Labour
Costs in
Manufacturing 3RD - 45TH 17TH 38TH 6TH 44TH 15TH 14TH 2ND 18TH 24TH 40TH 41ST 12TH
Sector
(% change) Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Skilled Labour
is readily 1ST 57TH 52ND 30TH 47TH 37TH 33RD 34TH 14TH 31ST 15TH 13TH 11TH 32ND 18TH
available
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Flexibility &
Adaptability of 1ST 2ND 43RD 59TH 45TH 55TH 9TH 50TH 33RD 49TH 21ST 54TH 28TH 23RD 13TH
Workforce
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012

2. HOW IRELAND COMPARES? www.idaireland.com
THE BEST SMALL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO DO BUSINESS.
Q1, 2013
DS
ND
AN
RLA
E
Y
Y
OR
ND
ERL
AN
AR
E
TZE
AP
A
IL
NC
AN
INA
LA
NG
RM
IN
IA
SSI
TH
AZ
G
A
I
FRA
SPA
IND
JAP
IRE
SW
HU
SIN
CH
UK
RU
NE
GE
US
BR
Ease of
Paying 6TH 156TH 122ND 53RD 72ND 118TH 152ND 127TH 29TH 64TH 5TH 34TH 18TH 16TH 69TH
Business
Taxes, 2013
Source: PriceWaterHouseCoopers
Corporate Tax
12.5% 34% 25% 33.33% 33% 19% 42% 38% 25% 20% 17% 30% 21% 24% 39%
Rate 2012
* ** *** **** *****
Source: PriceWaterHouseCoopers
Scientific
Infrastructure -
number of 3RD 42ND 39TH 10TH 13TH 41ST 54TH 7TH 26TH 55TH 8TH 32ND 4TH 11TH 12TH
patents in
force
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Higher Education
Achievement
(% that has 6TH 51ST 38TH 14TH 35TH 36TH 5OTH 4TH 21ST 36TH 1ST 24TH 21ST 9TH 19TH
attained at least
tertiary education)
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012
Gross domestic
product (GDP):
per capita, 48,423 12,594 5,445 42,377 44,060 14,044 1,489 45,903 50,076 13,089 46,241 31,943 83,383 39,038 48,112
Current US$,
2011
Source: http://data.worldbank.org
Exports of
Goods and
Services 107 12 31 27 50 92 25 15 83 31 209 30 51 32 14
(% of GDP)
2011
Source: http://data.worldbank.org
Birth rate,
crude (per 16 15 12 13 9 10 21 9 11 12 10 11 10 12 14
1,000 people)
Source: http://data.worldbank.org
Old age
dependency 18 11 12 26 31 24 8 37 24 18 13 25 25 26 20
ratio, 2011
Source: http://data.worldbank.org
* Munich rate used for illustrative purposes. Corporation tax rate varies depending on location
** Effective rate for non resident companies where income exceeds INR 10 million
***
This tax rate illustrates the effective tax rate for the Tokyo area where a company has paid-in
capital of more than JPY 100 million. Corporation tax rate varies depending on location
**** Depending on canton of corporate residence
***** 2012 OECD combined corporate tax rate database