Notice too that the top of the list is dominated by oil & gas companies. No wonder alternative energy initiatives are not given the overwhelming backing they need. It’s not in the interest of those at the very top of the corporate tree….

CRH has extracted its profits over the past few decades by over-charging its customers and keeping the price of cement in Ireland artificially inflated while simultaneously conducting an eviction strategy aimed at its independent rivals.

CRH has been found guilty on numerous occasions throughout Europe of price fixing and operating illegal cartels all to the detriment of consumers and taxpayers. Most recently in Poland in 2009 when it was fined €25 million for the above offences.

After the cement cartel was uncovered in Germany in 2003 prices decreased by over 50%. Imagine how much local authorities and businesses were over-charged for cement related products throughout the Celtic Tiger. CRH consistently had cross directorships with the banks down through the years and this significantly influenced the issuing of 100% mortgages which resulted in the onslaught of the housing boom.

CRH claimed an annual turnover of €18 billion in 2011. How much of that belongs to the Irish people?

anyone find it a little sick that 7 out of the top ten are oil related, and look at their profitability. Joe soap works for 8 1/2 hours to fill up his car for the week and never mind the tank to heat the house… fueling these guys insane profits. They in turn use those profits to lobby political parties in order for favourable laws for more profits.

No wonder there’s no investment in alternative fuels when oil makes so many so rich and powerful.

ConocoPhillips, are they not involved in the whitegate refinery in cork

Accenture, formerly Arthur Andersen, is NOT Irish. It is a US company HQd here!

So BP is still one of the top ten most profitable companies, despite being responsible for one of the world’s worst environmental disasters last year. Proof, if proof was needed, that the supply of oil is more important to the market place than the care of our planet.

Nama?

Accenture is not an Irish company! This is very disappointing journalism from the Journal.

Accenture is not an Irish company.. but they do have a very active Irish PR department!

Touché. Apologies. Early in the morning.

The title should read ”Two of the world’s biggest companies have bases in Dublin”, very miss leading title.

“$22 billion last year.”
Heh, funny. Soon we will be basing it on the Yuan. :D

As only one of the companies you’ve mentioned is actually bloody Irish. Why didn’t you mention Google, Apple etc all of whom employ more in Ireland then Accenture and have EMEA headquarters here. Come on love do some bloody research.

No Google or Facebook?