Interpreting data for Ireland in international banking statistics

This Letter provides an overview of Irish international banking statistics, which detail the international financial linkages of Irish banks. The complexity of the Irish banking system, in particular the role of the IFSC, poses challenges in interpreting these data. In order to illustrate some of the issues involved, this Letter reviews the main conceptual and methodological frameworks underlying Irish international banking statistics, and highlights some of the possible pitfalls which arise when trying to interpret the data.