How Ireland Became Europe’s Powerhouse in Just 10 Years

Brexit was supposed to shake Ireland’s economy — but something incredible happened instead.
While the UK faced trade disruptions and investor uncertainty, Ireland turned crisis into opportunity and emerged as one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies.

In this video, we explore Ireland’s post-Brexit economic transformation — from an agricultural past to becoming a global hub for tech, pharma, and finance. Discover how EU support, smart trade strategies, and a skilled workforce turned the Emerald Isle into a magnet for global investment.

🇮🇪 Is Ireland now the real Brexit winner?
Watch till the end to find out how it all unfolded — and what the future holds.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered professional financial, investment, or legal advice. We shall not be held responsible for any errors or omissions in the content. Any action the viewer takes based on the information provided in this video is solely at their own risk.

[ado]

The timelines in this documentary are way off. Ireland’s economic transformation began in the late 1950s, when Seán Lemass, working with economist T.K. Whitaker, initiated a radical shift from protectionism to open-market policies. The First Programme for Economic Expansion (1958) encouraged foreign investment, industrialisation, and export-led growth. In 1959, the Shannon Free Trade Zone was launched; a groundbreaking initiative offering tax and customs incentives to attract international business. This was complemented by the 1967 introduction of free secondary education and accessible third level education, expanding the skilled labour pool and supporting Ireland’s move toward a modern economy. These reforms laid the foundation for EEC membership in 1973 and ultimately the Celtic Tiger boom.

[milapravda]

Love Ireland, spent my best years in there in R&D in Cork.

[LeMerch]

If Ireland built a high (or even close to it) speed rail network that circled the country, it would remove the barriers to affordable housing by allowing people to travel the entire country in a really short space of time. The Japanese did it. It would mean you can live in Leitrim or Wexford and travel to Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Derry, Limerick etc in a matter of minutes! Reducing the massive burden on urban housing and infrastructure within cities. It would revolutionise the island for commerce and better standards of living. But nope… the Government do not think outside the box. They would rather pummel billions into social housing… and then rent that out or sell it to greedy landlords who in turn, just rent it out again and up the price. The Irish government are centrist extremists. Zero proactiveness and all reactive short term thinking. They can’t build any large scale infrastructure without running into major issues like the national children’s hospital becoming the most expensive building ever built… that says it all.

[davidmccabe]

Surprised you did not commence your report with a reference to the start of irelands first programme for economic expansion published in 1959/60 when I was a student chartered accountant. That was the birth of the new Ireland of which I am a very grateful beneficiary having been a director of 50 plus companies and IFSC funds.. In the 1970s 1980s and 1990s as a corporate banker I was involved in the financing of many of the incoming industrial companies . Nothing better than spending 3 days with a major finance director explaining the benefits we offer, English speaking, company law and taxation similar to the UK and USA, auditing and accounting similar to the US and UK and ending his visit with a round of golf at portmarnock on Saturday morning before taking him to Dublin airport for the flight home. Happy memories indeed. David McCabe aged 86 dublin

[eoinj]

Even Jacob Rees Mogg moved his family fortune to Dublin.

[johnmackey]

Ireland’s industrial development began way back in the 50s under Seán Lemass and the genius of T.K. Whitaker.

[briain]

Who thought Ireland faced disaster without the UK other than the UK

[RichardAB]

@9:00 Ireland's corporation tax rate is 15% in line with the OECD base level. The video got the figure wrong.

[ravenseft]

A good example of what could be achieved by Scotland.

[Irishman]

Proud of our great island north and south💚🇮🇪

[johnoconnell]

Ireland has already implemented the EU corporation tax proposal of fifteen percent, without the feared exodus of foreign companies. In fact they have consolidated their Irish operations, leading to expansion, including Data Centers.

[CaptFlinders]

Ireland is still better off despite the housing crisis. Affordable housing is a problem in every successful city around the World. But it needs fixing quickly.

[ALavin-enkr]

The Irish who in their monasteries kept civilization alive during a dark age are, and always have been, highly intelligent. It has been said of them that they are not either/or: (intellectual or intuitive) but both. They were oppressed for seven centuries by the Anglo Saxons and are now educated and free.
For them the sky is not the limit. Philosophy’s ’hard problem of consciousness’ is not a ‘hard problem’ for them; the Fathers of the Church had it solved. Transubstantiation ( try explaining that even in a quantum age), was symbolized in the Mass. With the Reformation came materialism and stupidly and it is still with us; a phase humanity has to go through and evolve from. Some likely won’t evolve from it but some will.
Others do not need to evolve from it because they were never deluded by it in the first place. The elemental is for our use, it is not meant that we to be used by it. Merlin resisted being banished to the earth. Trans humanism the latest materialistic, atheistic, idiocy will likely have adherents as communism had; the intelligent will not be amongst them. The intelligent will likely be persecuted, but then they always are; even so they keep civilization alive.

[dumspirosperothebook]

Irelands capable of being a leader in A.I, thus transferring it's dependency from financial to controlling the narrative . Sion5 is using the same in online retail management

[kuuhqtu]

And remember Irish voters, Conor McGregor has said he wants Ireland to leave the EU. McGregor talks like he cares about the people of Ireland. He doesn't; he cares about the bounty he'll receive for wrecking the economy. Remember he said [paraphrase] 'I don't care about politics. I just care about getting a lot of money for a quick left and right hook.' ...

[peternolan]

Irelands housing crisis is made worst by all the industry concentrated around a few key cities like Dublin Cork and Galway there isn’t a housing crisis in say Roscommon but there is a population crisis too many older people not enough young people. There needs to be more incentive (better infrastructure transport etc) for home grown and foreign industry to set up in these places and not always beat a path to Dublin. Also AirB&B plus property speculation because of the population concentration needs to be curtailed.
Lots of people on these type of vids looking for the government to solve this problem but precious little comments on what they think could solve this problem other than the usual immigrant bashing and wanting what amounts to the “government” to giving them a house gratis.

[gerarddeegan]

Ireland has really come a long way😊🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪☘🍀🍀☘

[Srindal]

The UK is simply not culturally equipped to dealing with being economically competitive. People's ideal government is essentially people like Jeremy Corbyn, or the green party. But no one would dare vote for them because of the fear of being voted against. People are scared of being wrong in politics. People have lost hope, allowing democracy to deteriorate and the government becoming more authoritarian to fill the gap. This has an effect on the economy, as now no one wants to contribute to a system that doesn't care for them, due to non-participation in politics. This also causes mental health issues, along with the lack of nutritional support in people's diets thanks to new farming practices, pesticides and other things that deteriorate vitamins and minerals on farmland.

The solution? Give people a reason to hope for a future. We need a massive cultural reshifting. We are not an empire anymore. We need to find new challenges to give us inspiration and hope.

[Ensurance]

one word brexit, UK shot themselves on the foot

[magmilion]

it's so good because they are in the European Union; it is a simple math