US firms invest €96bn in Ireland over 5 years

US corporate investment in Ireland amounted to nearly $130bn (€96bn) over the past five years; roughly 14 times larger than the amount American companies spent in China over the same period.

A new report — compiled by leading Wall St economist, Joseph P Quinlan, on behalf of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland — shows that, despite the economic downturn, Ireland’s importance to the US corporate effort has intensified.

Between 2008 and 2013, US firms invested more in Ireland than in the previous 58 years combined, the report states.