THE IRISH Stock Exchange was never a heavy hitter among global bourses.

But the increasingly rapid rate of defections by our plcs is making it look more League of Ireland than Premier League these days.

The banks are all tuppence shares now, while a growing number of our stalwart stocks are emigrating.

This week Elan said it would move its primary listing to New York. It will have a secondary listing here but that’s hardly meaningful.

Elan’s switch follows on from food group Greencore’s decision to move its main listing to the UK and report in sterling.

Diversified company DCC told shareholders this summer that it was pondering a similar switch.

No green jersey agenda in corporate Ireland now, it seems.