A Group of employees from companies based in the IFSC and associated businesses have formed a lobby group with the aim of campaigning for a 'Yes' vote in the forthcoming referendum on the Nice Treaty.
The group, called "IFSC for Yes", will hold a public meeting in the IFSC on Thursday next at which the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, will be the keynote speaker. The group says a 'Yes' vote will copper-fasten Ireland's low corporation tax rate, which is crucial for the IFSC, and support 11,000 IFSC jobs.
A 'No' vote would send a negative signal about Ireland that could be exploited by competing financial centres.
The group intends to raise the issuee of IFSC jobs in the Nice referendum debate as well as campaigning directly amongst IFSC-based businesses to ensure as high a turnout in support of the treaty as possible.
Mr Willie Slattery, chief executive of Deutsche International Ireland and president of the Financial Services Industry Association (FSIA), is the chairman of the new group.
Other founding members include: Mr Colm Fagan of Life Strategies; Mr Enda Twomey of the Irish Bankers Federation; Mr Paul McGowan, tax partner at KPMG; Ms Phillipa Howley of AIB Capital Markets; Mr William Fogarty of MOP Solicitors; Mr Andy O'Callaghan, partner in PwC; Mr Jim Power of Friends First; Mr Peter O'Dwyer managing director of GenSec; Mr Padraig Rushe, director, Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking; Ms Joan Kehoe, managing director of PFPC International; and Ms Michele McDonald of Ernst & Young.
