Market Insights 2018 | Ireland

The Ireland 2018 Market Insight Report covers the following areas within Dublin (click below to view salaries):

• Commerce & Industry

• Fund Services

• IMI & Banking

• Public Practice & Taxation

Commerce & Industry

The job market has continued to go from strength to strength throughout 2017 and into the beginning of 2018. Most candidates will have multiple roles in front of them, with elite applicants interviewing for several jobs simultaneously, meaning that flexibility and speed on the part of the hiring business is key.

Fund Services

2017 was another year of consistent growth for the Irish funds market. According to the Irish Funds association, the total number of Irish domiciled funds at the end of December 2017 was 6,812 (including sub funds) and the annual asset growth was 16%.

Developments in Brexit and in the US will have a significant impact on the Irish economy for years to come. The current political landscape is causing continued uncertainty in the financial markets and regulation will have to be changed over the long term.

IMI & Banking

Increased regulation over previous years resulted in greater hiring activity across both permanent and fixed term contracts during 2017. Candidates with experience in regulatory reporting and strong technical accounting experience were highly sought after. This is expected to continue throughout 2018.

Public Practice & Taxation

The increasing complexity of reporting standards, coupled with changes to audit requirements, has put additional pressure on small and medium sized practices, who are facing intense competition to secure technically strong, well trained accountants in a market where remuneration packages generally don’t compare favourably to industry.

There is no doubt that practice has lost talent to industry and that this trend will continue. The high standard of training in practice will, however, always be in demand among candidates and looked upon favourably by clients. Previously, given rapid changes to regulatory reporting requirements, candidates who move to industry have found it challenging trying to move back. We are, however, seeing this trend subside and firms becoming more receptive to returning practitioners, due to the level of competition in the market.