Ireland, officially, the Republic of Ireland, was declared an independent state in 1922 and severed its last formal ties to the British Commonwealth in 1949. It is a constitutional republic with a parliamentary system of government. Ireland joined what is now called the European Union in 1973, and in 1999 was one of the eleven member states that launched the European Single Currency, the euro. In recent years Ireland’s economy has transformed its focus from agriculture to the service and knowledge industries. Alter Domus’ office is located in the capital city of Dublin.