Welsh Chapter of British‑Irish Chamber Launched to Boost Ireland Trade
A new Welsh Chapter of the British‑Irish Chamber of Commerce aims to deepen trade, investment and partnership opportunities between Wales and Ireland.
The British‑Irish Chamber of Commerce has opened a permanent Welsh Chapter, creating a dedicated platform for businesses on both sides of the Irish Sea to deepen trade and investment links.
The launch took place at Browne Jacobson’s Cardiff offices, where senior business leaders and policymakers gathered for a briefing and a keynote address from First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth MS.
Irish‑owned firms already play a significant role in the Welsh economy, with around 85 companies investing £31 million in Wales last year, according to the First Minister.
“Wales and Ireland have strong economic connections, with around 85 Irish owned companies investing £31 Million in Wales last year, complementing our own strengths in sectors such as financial services, compound semi‑conductors and cyber security.” “Dublin was my first overseas visit since becoming First Minister in May and I look forward to building ever‑closer ties with Ireland, including through our shared economic interests.”
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee TD welcomed the development, highlighting its alignment with the Ireland‑Wales Shared Statement 2030.
“I welcome the launch of the Welsh Chapter of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce.” The British Irish Chamber of Commerce has done tremendous work in building the bilateral trade relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland.
“The Ireland‑Wales relationship has deepened in recent years, and the Ireland‑Wales Shared Statement 2023 outlines our planned cooperation up to the end of the decade.”
Welsh goods exports to Ireland totalled £2.5 billion in the year ending June 2026, moving the island to the third‑largest destination after Germany and the United States.
That figure represents an increase from £2.3 billion in the year to March 2026, underscoring a steady rise in bilateral trade.
Overall, Welsh goods exports reached £20 billion in the same period, with 58.3 % destined for EU markets, and Ireland alone accounted for a substantial share of that flow.
The new chapter is expected to facilitate structured business networks that build on existing ferry and port connections, identified in the Shared Statement as essential for moving goods between Ireland, Wales, Great Britain and wider European markets.
Browne Jacobson, the host firm, operates from Cardiff, Belfast and Dublin, positioning it at the heart of the trade corridor.
“We are proud to host the launch of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce’s Welsh Chapter.”
Jeanne Kelly, partner and co‑founder of the firm’s Dublin office, added a personal note on the expansion.
The Chamber’s membership spans financial services, infrastructure, energy, higher education, technology and agri‑food, offering Welsh firms a broad network of potential partners.
By providing a formal conduit for dialogue, the Welsh Chapter aims to translate existing export figures into deeper investment, innovation and collaborative projects across sectors such as semi‑conductors, cyber security and green energy.
As the Irish Sea corridor continues to benefit from robust ferry links and cultural ties, the chapter’s success will be measured by the volume of new business‑to‑business relationships it can forge in the coming years.