Looking ahead, Goodbody Stockbrokers suggests investors should keep an eye on Ireland's emerging information technology sector. In a recent report it selects 23 up-and-coming companies which are likely to seek a listing on Nasdaq and on the Irish market in coming years. This year's candidates for a listing include Trintech, Raidtech, Piercom and Datalex. In the medium term, firms such as BCO Technologies, Softech Telecom, Lake Communications, Softco and MDS Telephone Systems, seem likely to list on smaller companies markets, according to Goodbodys. Others mentioned include Aldiscon, Baltimore Technologies, Card Services International, Celtec Software, CHL, Eurologic Systems, FM systems, and International Financial Systems (IFS). Goodbodys says information and communications technologies and microelectronics are expected to be the growth sectors of the future.

Within the next two years, it expects at least six new Irish high technology companies will become public companies, most likely with a dual listing on the ISEQ and Nasdaq.