Ireland: Corporate Governance

The Central Bank of Ireland has commissioned an independent review of its enforcement activities, led by former Revenue Commissioners Chair Josephine Feehily, following judicial criticism of its processes and significant structural changes in the financial system. The review will examine the effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency of enforcement operations, with recommendations due by January 2027 that could reshape regulatory practice for years to come.

The European Commission has adopted two delegated acts as part of the CSRD simplification under the Omnibus I package...

The Central Bank of Ireland has published its final guidance on prohibition notices under the Fitness and Probity Regime, introducing significant clarifications on decision-making processes, publication procedures, and enforcement mechanisms. Following public consultation and stakeholder feedback, the updated framework addresses procedural fairness concerns while maintaining the regulator's protective powers over controlled functions in financial services firms.

The Irish Government has published the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026, establishing a comprehensive framework for supervising and enforcing the EU AI Act in Ireland. This legislation creates the AI Office of Ireland as an independent statutory body to coordinate AI regulation, introduces a distributed oversight model involving multiple sectoral authorities, and provides detailed procedures for adjudication and administrative sanctions. The Bill addresses critical questions about how Ireland

The Central Bank of Ireland has published its first Investment Firm and Intermediary Newsletter for 2026, revealing critical regulatory updates and supervisory priorities for Irish (re)insurance intermediaries. The newsletter addresses sector mapping initiatives, commission disclosure practices, complaints handling procedures, and significant changes to intermediary authorisation requirements that firms must navigate.

The Central Bank of Ireland has completed implementation of all twelve recommendations from Andrea Enria's independent review of the Fitness and Probity approval process, following a 2024 IFSAT finding. These reforms introduce significant structural changes including a new F&P Unit, enhanced guidance materials, and improved transparency measures designed to strengthen fairness and efficiency in regulatory assessments of senior financial services appointments.

This May 2026 edition of Funds Focus examines critical regulatory developments affecting asset management and investment funds, including Ireland's implementation of AIFMD II legislation and the Central Bank of Ireland's latest guidance on board effectiveness and liquidity management tools. The update also covers significant enforcement actions and European regulatory harmonization efforts that will shape fund management practices in the coming months.

On 20 April 2026, the Central Bank of Ireland (Central Bank) published a feedback report on the review it carried out last year on a cohort of Irish fund management companies on board effectiveness through the lens...

The ESG Ratings Regulation introduces new disclosure requirements for fund managers who reference ESG ratings in their marketing materials. Understanding whether your fund's marketing communications trigger these obligations requires careful analysis of what constitutes an ESG rating under the regulation and how the prescribed website disclosures should be implemented by the July 2026 deadline.