Despite Ireland’s well publicised banking crisis, the number of financial services projects into Ireland has doubled during the period January 2011 to May 2011 compared with the same period in 2010, according to data from fDi Markets.

In 2011, $236.9m was invested and 338 jobs were created by international financial giants, including Bank of New York Mellon, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank.

During the same period in 2010, less than half that amount was invested, $89.4m. However, 309 jobs were created with France-based insurer AXA creating 200 of these jobs in Dublin.