In our final issue of 2025 we look forward with positivity to 2026 because many of the (justified) fears around many of the negatives in the geopolitical environment that existed during the year did not come to pass. Critically, the demise of the Irish economic model, much predicted in many quarters, did not happen, and, indeed, we can report that The Economist made Ireland its second best 'Economy of the Year', in the OECD area for 2025.

Complementing this has been the prominent role played by the Irish Government in crafting an innovative, and probably game changing financing package worth EUR90 billion for Ukraine, finalised in the early morning hours of Friday 19th December. A "Deal of the Year", in the sphere of European Union Public Finance, perhaps?

The December cover story consists of seven related stories, all portraying key aspects of one of the 'jewels in the crown' of Ireland's financial services industry - aviation finance and aircraft leasing. The headline on the cover of this issue says that "Aviation finance flies high in Ireland in 2025, and the outlook is bright", and the reasons why are analysed in detail.

There is much else in the issue to support this positive end of year tone, and, we expect that while the new year will present as many tough and difficult challenges as the year just ending there can be hope for a challenging but positive economic and markets background in 2026.

Ireland's funds industry is the focus of this month's cover feature with the conjunction of events that has seen the Irish Government publish a visionary roadmap for the sector, 'Funds Sector 2030' and the European Commission's launch of its Savings & Investment Union, augurs well for the industry, whose net assets are now in excess of €5 trillion. Already the SIU initiative has resulted in more progress than its predecessor 'Capital Markets Union', and has prompted the new Minister for Finance, Simon Harris already to reference it in one of his first public statements by saying that Ireland supports 'a multi-centre of excellence' model in relation to the SIU.

Surveyed in the report are how the SIU and the aspirations of Funds Sector 2030 are coming together, and, as detailed in the feature articles and Roundtable of thought leaders in The Finance Dublin Funds Monitor how Ireland's investment funds landscape is evolving and adapting to meet the new opportunities in high growth and high potential areas including ETFs, Private Markets and loan origination.

The new Tanaiste in Finance, while not unprecedented, creates a possibly distracting dual mandate at a time of concern about the sustainability of the Irish economic model. We look at Paschal Donohoe's loss to public service in Ireland, and what it might mean, and the opportunities the new man at Finance, Simon Harris, has to make a long-lasting positive impact in what is expected be a short-lived time at the helm before he is scheduled to take up the top job in 2027.

The 2025 Finance Dublin Accountancy Survey sees the combined fee income of the Top 20 firms reach a new milestone as the 2025 Managing Partners' Forum shows an unanimous positivity across the board, despite the prevailing uncertainty around global economics and markets. This is reflected in a softening in annual fee growth in this latest year, to 9.9%. Although few say so, this uncertainty necessarily is reflected in discipline at the fee charging level. Also featuring centrally in the issue is Budget 2026, and its relevance, particularly for the financial services industry itself.

"How financial services can play its part in a 'bottom up' capital markets revolution in Europe" is the title of September's cover feature which details a Submission from Finance Dublin to the Public Consultation on the 'Ireland for Finance Strategy 2026-2030', the Irish Government's international financial services sector policy programme.

It reflects many suggestions and recommendations made by many individuals and bodies in the columns of the publication. It supports the concept of national level SIAs, such as Sweden's ISK, which is profiled in the issue (page 11). An Irish equivalent would be welcome it says.

This is among the recommendations in a detailed response to the Public Consultation Questionnaire which the Department of Finance published in July, ahead of the publication of a new revised 'Ireland for Finance Strategy' which is planned for launch in 2026.

IFS stakeholders invited to help grow centre as a 'leading global hub' for finance: The Government has invited the stakeholders of Ireland's IFS industry to participate in a Public Consultation process to run until 19th September 2025 aimed at providing their views on "how Ireland can maintain and grow its position as a leading global hub for specialist international financial services".

As such it is historic and marks a new approach that compares and contrasts with approaches, including Clearing House Groups and other channels resorted to in the past, going back to the early days of the IFSC in the late 1980s. The findings will be published and incorporated in a new strategy broadly covering the term of the present Coalition Government ending in 2030, a period coinciding with the earlier forward looking document the Funds Sector 2023 review, published in the final week in office of the outgoing coalition Government.

The July issue of Finance Dublin features a virtual manifesto of practical advice from leading Irish IFS representative bodies on how to go about the complex project of building Capital Markets Union in Europe in the coming years.

Further insights allied to the mission to develop the EU's capital markets are to be seen in this month's Irish Tax Monitor, which agree with many of the domestic investment market development proposals contained in the Government's Funds Sector 2030 review, published in the final week of the last Government.

The 2025 Finance Dublin Yearbook presents the views of a collection of thought leaders in the financial services industry on the current outlook, including an exclusive interview with the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, as he declares his candidacy for a third term as President of the Eurogroup, the Eurozone's influential policy committee of Finance Ministers, the EC Commissioner for the Economy, and the President of the European Central Bank.

The interview with the Minister is on the topic of the euro, and in it he addresses issues including the potential reserve currency role of the euro, trade talks between the EU and the US, and coming reforms to the euro, its membership, and its role in relation to the new European Commission's strategy to strengthen the European economy.

The 2025 Yearbook profiles new entrants and updates the Directory sections to provide profiles of over 500 companies and organisations and over 1,000 individual professionals and executives.

The June issue of Finance Dublin features the 2025 Deals of the Year Awards, which celebrate the achievements of the Irish capital markets and corporate finance dealmaking and advisory community - detailed in the 62 articles in this month's issue published today, each profiling the deals that are recognised this year.

The 2025 awards recognise 62 deals in five major categories, providing an overall picture of buoyancy and deepening expertise and links with global capital markets ecosystems, in spite of the record uncertainty and headwinds in geopolitics.

Ireland's Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has been re-elected for a third term as president of the Eurogroup, commencing on July 12th next for a two and a half year term.

Setting out his vision for the euro's development and stabilising role in the context of global trade undertainty in an interview in the Finance Dublin Yearbook 2025 this month, Minister Donohoe gave a realistic but optimistic assessment of the euro's role as a stabilising entity in 2025 and going forward during his prospective third term.

Analysis of the Finance and Financial Services related Professional Services industry in Ireland is the cover story in this month's issue, a vital plank of the platform for the country's economic strength, and a foundation of its viability and indeed excellence as an international financial centre and jurisdiction. The strength of Ireland legal services industry is a major advantage for Ireland at a time of grave uncertainty, prompted by the capricious policies of the US Government in economic, monetary, and indeed political, defence and security arenas. We opine that while this turn of events is regrettable there may even be some silver linings for the health of the Irish economy as an unintended and not necessarily to be welcomed consequence.

Numerous indicators point to the finance and FS-related Professional Services industry is thriving in Ireland. Servicing areas such as investment funds, aviation leasing and structured finance in the M&A, Equity Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets, Loans and Financing and Financial Services areas tracked in the Finance Dublin Deals of the Year Awards research (forthcoming) show rude health and despite the uncertainty prompted by the changed global economy we suggest that there may well be some silver linings. And, whatever happens, we suggest that there should be no grounds for rethinking the economic model that has served Ireland well for over half a century as part of any response.