Fund Administration & The IFSC
Funds Administration
Ireland has a worldwide reputation as a significant financial centre for International Banking, Funds and Insurance. The sector includes companies that provide financial products and services. It comprises of commercial banks, insurance companies, non-banking financial companies, cooperatives, pension funds, mutual funds and many other small financial entities.
We are all familiar with the high street banks and building societies in every town and city in the country, but Dublin’s IFSC is the hub of the financial services and financial technology activity in our capital city, and of financial services business activity in Ireland.
The IFSC
The IFSC was established in 1987 to attract investment into Ireland from global financial service organisations. Financial services are now Ireland’s 4th largest services export sector.The sector can be broadly divided into four areas of financial activity:
Sectors
- Accounting and Financial Management
- Banking and related services
- Financial and Investment planning
- Insurance Services
Half of the top 50 banks in the world, including Citigroup, JP Morgan, BNP Paribas and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch are located in Ireland. Over 450 international financial services companies operate within the IFSC. However, they can also be found located around the country. These include BNY Mellon in Wexford and Statestreet in Kilkenny.
More than 100 Irish companies also provide technology and associated support services to the sector. In addition, there is a significant number of indigenous financial services and insurance organisations operating in Ireland such as Fexco, FBD, IFG, AIB Bank, Bank of Ireland, Abbey Capital, EBS, Irish Life & Permanent, VHI, Liberty Insurance and Quintillion.
Given Ireland’s robust and efficient regulation, protecting investor interests are highly regarded. The Central Bank’s rules on counterparty risk and prospectus disclosure are considered prudent and the Irish regulatory framework provides for independent, regulated administration and trustee/custodian functions.
When it comes to Tax, there are clear and specific tax efficiency for investment funds. No withholding taxes apply on income distributions and redemption payments made by an Irish fund to non Irish resident investors, provided no Irish assets are held by that fund. Depending on the tax status of an investor in their home jurisdiction, an Irish fund can also be structured as a tax transparent vehicle resulting in the retention of the tax benefits enjoyed by investors through direct ownership.