County Dublin
Nine of ten top global tech companies locate here—€248.3B GDP (40% of Ireland) at $115,000 per capita makes Dublin Europe's richest city, though 2022 data center moratorium signals infrastructure limits.
County Dublin concentrates Ireland's economic gravity—€248.3 billion GDP (2023), over 40% of national output, with per-capita GDP of $115,000 making it Europe's richest city by this measure. Nine of the top ten global tech companies locate here; 970 US subsidiaries employ 211,000 directly and support 169,000 additional jobs.
The FDI model defines Dublin's prosperity: low corporate tax (12.5% until 2024, now 15% under OECD minimum) attracted multinationals that created employment clusters. Microsoft, Google, Meta, and pharmaceutical giants established European headquarters. IDA Ireland recorded 234 investment wins in 2024, with €1.9 billion R&D commitment—record levels that continue despite tax harmonization.
This success creates its own constraints. Dublin's 2022 data center moratorium reflects energy and planning limits; housing costs make talent attraction difficult; infrastructure strains under concentration. The American Chamber of Commerce identifies "skills gaps" in tech graduate supply.
Dublin demonstrates FDI-dependent growth's characteristics: exceptional prosperity paired with volatility as multinational decisions affect national outcomes. Ireland's modified domestic demand (excluding multinationals' statistical distortions) grew 2.5-3.2% in 2024—healthy but less dramatic than headline GDP suggests. The county's future depends on maintaining attractiveness as global tax competition evolves.