Twitter chooses Dublin over London for European offices

Social networking giant set to establish international headquarters in Ireland

Article posted: 04 Oct 2011

After months of speculation it seems that social networking phenomenon Twitter has decided against opening offices in the UK in favour of office space in Dublin.

Last week the Irish investment promotion agency IDA tweeted: “Ireland is trending. Twitter to establish international office in Dublin. #idairl” all but confirms the move, although Twitter has yet to issue a statement on its apparent decision to set up operations on the Emerald Isle.”

According to the Sunday Telegraph back in December last year, San Francisco-based Twitter was all set to open its first non-US offices in Central London. Representatives from the social networking and micro-blogging phenomenon had been in London looking at potential office space in the West End as well as offices in East London in an area which has been dubbed “Silicon Roundabout.”

At the time a Twitter spokesperson told the Telegraph: “We are considering London and other European locations to create an initial and small presence in 2011.”

It seems that the 12% corporation tax in Ireland, as opposed to the 28% tax in London, was a deciding factor for the firm which joins Google, Yahoo, Apple, AOL, Facebook, LinkedIn, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Intel, HP and Zynga, all of whom have offices in Ireland.

According to a recent report by CB Richard Ellis, despite ongoing economic concerns and the turmoil on world financial markets in recent months, a considerable number of office lettings were signed in the Dublin office market during July and August.

The property consultants believe that last year’s annual take up of office space in Dublin which totalled 1.4m sq ft, should be matched in 2011, if not exceeded. This represents a very healthy level of activity considering the economic backdrop although much of the take-up is a result of tenants exercising break options and taking advantage of the ability to negotiate very attractive leases in the current climate.

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Posted by Jo