The Taoiseach has said Ireland is well on its way to becoming the tech capital of Europe and, despite Brexit, will continue to offer a stable Corporation Tax regime for tech companies.
Leo Varadkar was speaking at the opening of the Data Summit 2018 last night.
Mr Varadkar said: "Seeing the world's leading tech companies represented here tonight reinforces my belief that we are on the way to becoming the tech capital of Europe.
"From being an inward-looking country at the edge of Europe, Ireland has become a multicultural and globalised country, a melting pot of nationalities, proud to engage with the world.
"Changes that have occurred at a speed many believed impossible."
Mr Varadkar added that 2018 is a time when globalisation, free trade and multilateralism are seen negatively in some parts of the world while Ireland has become a beacon for liberal western democratic values.
"No matter what happens with Brexit, Ireland will continue to provide a stable and competitive corporation tax regime, strong incentives for research and development, an agile, capable and cosmopolitan work-force, open skilled migration, membership of the single European market and the eurozone that we have to defend," he said.
"We want to keep Ireland at the forefront of technological developments and the Data Summit is an important part of that. Almost all sectors are affected by the digital transformation - from healthcare to education, and from industry to law enforcement, spanning both the public and private sectors.
"Data and technology are being combined to improve how we go about our business and our daily lives. It's bigger than any one sector and must involve all of us.
"The discussions at this year's Data Summit on regulation, sustaining innovation and the implications of artificial intelligence will help to inform the Government's policy response to these important issues."
The Data Summit, which is being held at Croke Park today, is attended by companies like Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Arthur Cox.
It will address several important themes including keynote panels on regulating online developments whilst sustaining innovation; exploring the implications of artificial intelligence for society; and on how the GDPR may influence countries outside of the EU.
