An Tánaiste Addresses Guests at AmCham's 2026 Annual Dinner

Ireland will place "growth and competitiveness at the core" of its upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, An Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris TD said at AmCham Ireland's 2026 Annual Dinner and US-Ireland Business Awards.

Speaking to almost 500 business leaders, policymakers and stakeholders, the Tánaiste highlighted competitiveness, innovation and the continued strength of the transatlantic economic relationship as critical priorities for Ireland and Europe, stating that a competitive Europe must remain "a global home for innovation and enterprise."

Addressing the evolving global trade environment, the Tánaiste reiterated Ireland's support for continued engagement between Europe and the United States, noting that the EU-US trading relationship remains the most valuable in the world, with €4.6bn in goods and services traded across the Atlantic each day.

In enhancing Ireland’s competitiveness, An Tánaiste pointed to the recent increase in Ireland's R&D tax credit to 35 percent and confirmed that he would continue to examine the scheme during the lifetime of the Government, including the subcontracting provisions.  

He said “Guided by the recently published R&D Compass, I will continue to examine the R&D tax credit with a particular focus on the subcontracting provisions during the term of this Government.” He added “If we want innovation to happen, we must create the conditions in which innovation can thrive.”

Earlier in the evening, AmCham 2026 President Mark Cockerill reflected on the contribution of US investment to Ireland's economic success, describing the organisations gathered in the room as being "at the heart" of decades of foreign direct investment that has helped transform the Irish economy. Looking ahead, he stressed that supporting the next phase of growth would require continued investment in "skills, infrastructure, energy capacity, digital capability and research excellence".

Reflecting on the recent increase in the R&D tax credit to 35 percent, Mark highlighted the opportunity to further strengthen Ireland's innovation ecosystem through "greater flexibility around related-party subcontracted R&D activity" and stronger recognition of "highly skilled STEM professionals".

The evening also celebrated outstanding contributions to the US-Ireland business relationship through the presentation of the 2026 US-Ireland Business Awards.

The Global Leadership Award was presented to Graham Abell, VP Software Engineering and Ireland Site Lead at Workday, in recognition of his leadership in advancing A.I.-driven innovation and his contribution to strengthening Ireland's position as a global technology hub. Accepting the award, Graham reflected on the strength of the transatlantic business community and thanked AmCham for its continued role in bringing together leaders, innovators and policymakers from across the US-Ireland business relationship.

Presenting the Global Impact Award, IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan highlighted the important role teams based in Ireland continue to play in shaping global operations, products and innovation, noting that Irish teams increasingly "shape global operations, not simply support them". The award was presented to Aerogen for Project Aerogen Solo, a technology developed and manufactured in Ireland that enables efficient aerosol drug delivery across multiple respiratory modalities and has been adopted extensively across healthcare settings in the United States and internationally.

Presenting the Global Community Award, EY Tax Partner Aileen Daly highlighted the "extraordinary contribution" AmCham member companies make across communities throughout Ireland, noting that great business leadership is increasingly defined not only by economic success but by positive impact on society, education and the environment. The award was presented to the Institute of Study Abroad Ireland (ISAI) in recognition of more than two decades of work building educational links between Ireland and the United States and expanding international learning opportunities for students and educators.

AmCham extends its thanks to event sponsors EY and IDA Ireland, and to media partner The Irish Times, for their support of the 2026 Annual Dinner and US-Ireland Business Awards.