Grant Thornton is opening a 'centre of excellence' - with jobs to boot

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM Grant Thornton has announced the creation of 250 new jobs in Dublin.

The majority of these will be in its new so-called ‘centre of excellence’, which launches today.

The firm, which provides financial advisory and accounting services, said the new hub is “unique in the Irish market”.

It will provide a range of compliance and reporting services to clients in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The jobs on offer will be made available in the company’s tax, audit and advisory departments.

Grant Thornton currently employees more than 1,000 people in offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Kildare, Limerick and Longford.

It said it is increasing its Irish footprint to meet demand in the sector.

All positions are permanent and recruitment is set to be concluded within the next 18 months.

Minister of State for Financial Services Eoghan Murphy said that the initiative creating 250 jobs “is one that will benefit businesses at a time of strong growth in the Irish economy”.

He added that the announcement is in keeping with the government’s aim to “promote Ireland as a global centre for specialisation and innovation in financial services”.

In the wake of Brexit, the government is keen to attract more financial services firms to Ireland.

After the UK’s vote to leave the EU last year, the number of jobs in the Irish financial sector jumped by almost 62%.

Boston Consulting Group, which advises a number of Fortune 500 companies, suggested that nearly a fifth of all the jobs in London’s financial district could be shifted to other European cities, with Dublin and Frankfurt earmarked as possible locations to benefit.

However, another report has suggested that Ireland is ill-equipped to deal with the number of firms possibly looking to relocate to the Republic.

Written by Sean Murray and posted on TheJournal.ie

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