The European Investment Bank plans to establish a full time office in Dublin by the end of the year.

The bank’s new Vice-President – and former economic advisor to the Taoiseach – says the EIB has been a friend to Ireland in good times and in bad and now it sees an opportunity to do even more business here.

Andrew McDowell who is attending an Infrastructure Conference in Dublin this morning – says it wants to support both the public and private sectors in making investments in infrastructure and other areas: “With the strong economic recovery Ireland is starting to see a number of infrastructure bottlenecks in areas like transport, housing and other areas that threaten its unresolve to hold the recovery back and also the recovery reaching all parts of the country.

“So it is important we continue the discussion on how best to address and finance the infrastructure constraints that the country is facing in areas like transport, broadband, housing and health infrastructure.”