An Taoiseach Micheál Martin Speaks about “Extraordinary” Friendship Between Ireland and US at AmCham’s Thanksgiving Day Lunch

AmCham was joined by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, who was Guest of Honour at the 2025 Thanksgiving Day Lunch which was sponsored by William Fry.

In his keynote address to attendees An Taoiseach spoke about the “extraordinary friendship and relationship between the United States and Ireland” which remains “one of the strongest and most successful” in the world.

He highlighted that the value of this economic relationship “now exceeds €1tn” and supports “tens of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.” He also noted that US companies continue to play an “important role in Ireland’s economy” across key sectors including pharmaceuticals, biopharma, medical devices and technology.

While in the US “Irish companies too have built a remarkable and growing presence” with “more than 200,000 people employed by almost 800 Irish firms across all 50 states.”

He continued “Every day over $4.5bn US dollars worth of goods and services cross the Atlantic between the EU and US and European businesses have created and sustained 3.4 million jobs in the US.”

An Taoiseach also noted the opportunity Ireland has to “strengthen and deepen EU-US cooperation” during our EU presidency next year. With areas for continued and further collaboration including “trade digital policy, cyber justice, home affairs, security and defense”.

He continued “We want to work with companies in this room and within Ireland to have an informed and evidence-based approach to how we can reform the regulatory and simplify the regulatory frameworks emanating from Brussels as well as within Europe itself.”

Looking to the future, An Taoiseach stressed the importance of cutting through "a lot of the barriers to infrastructure and development”, which An Taoiseach acknowledged is a key priority for AmCham.

In this regard we “must dismantle the long-standing barriers that have been a drag on progress” particularly in the critical areas of “water infrastructure, energy infrastructure and transport”.

An Taoiseach noted that the Government will be publishing an Action Plan proposing a series of focused, high-impact reforms aimed at accelerating delivery and improving outcomes.

An Taoiseach also highlighted Ireland must focus on improving our “competitiveness and productivity offering” and said “we will work to ensure that we remain a trusted, stable and attractive location for companies and businesses navigating a rapidly changing world.”

In his sponsor's address Stephen Keogh, Managing Partner at William Fry noted the "unmistakable" scale of the US-Ireland business relationship as "American companies have transformed the Irish economy and in return they have found a welcoming business friendly environment in which they can access a talented workforce, constant innovation and ambition on a grand scale.”

AmCham 2025 President, Liz Cunningham also addressed attendees at the event and highlighted the importance of Ireland not being complacent. As AmCham members have highlighted in several FDI Insights surveys “the biggest risks to our continued growth are housing and infrastructure.”

She continued “MetroLink, Luas Cork, DART+, and BusConnects aren't just lines on a map; they are lifelines for our economy. They connect people to opportunities.”

“The increased investment in housing is a critical step forward. Now, we must match this investment with streamlined planning to ensure these vital projects are delivered.”