Ireland: Finance and Banking

The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive Communication addressing the structural challenges that limit EU banking sector competitiveness, proposing sweeping reforms to prudential regulation, cross-border integration, and regulatory complexity. With formal legislative proposals expected in Q1 2027, this initiative represents one of the most ambitious banking regulatory reform packages in recent EU history, fundamentally reshaping how banks operate across member states.

The statutory instrument transposing the Capital Requirements Directive (EU) 2024/1619 (“CRD VI”) into Irish law has been published.

As the EU's CRD VI regulations introduce sweeping changes to cross-border banking operations, non-EU banks face a critical deadline of January 2027 to establish licensed branches or restructure their service delivery models.

From 11 January 2027, non-EU banks and significant investment firms must establish licensed branches in each EU Member State where they provide core banking services, or operate through authorized EU entities. Ireland has implemented CRD VI's Article 21c requirements through faithful transposition, introducing a third-country branch regime that affects cross-border lending involving Irish companies, with important exemptions including reverse solicitation that may enable continued market participation.

The European Single Access Point (ESAP) Regulation introduces new procedural obligations for issuers of securities in Ireland, requiring parallel submission of prospectus, transparency, and market abuse information...

When lending to an Irish company under English or US law, lenders must conduct specific searches at Irish public registries and asset registers. This article examines the essential due diligence searches...

When lending to an Irish company under English or US law, specific filing and registration requirements apply to security documents.

The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has two consultations under the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025 (the Act) closing on 4 March 2026.

Welcome to our debt capital markets update - a roundup of key Irish and EU legislative and regulatory developments shaping financial markets in Ireland.

The European Union's sixth Capital Requirements Directive introduces significant changes to third-country undertakings providing banking services in the EU, requiring branch establishment by January 2027. Ireland's Central Bank advances its innovation agenda through AI-focused regulatory engagement, while EIOPA publishes comprehensive guidelines on insurance recovery and resolution frameworks.

The Central Bank of Ireland has completed its comprehensive review of delegation practices across the Irish funds sector, examining how fund management companies oversee delegated activities while maintaining regulatory compliance. Through detailed surveys and onsite inspections, the regulator assessed governance frameworks, risk management controls, and data capabilities, identifying both strengths and areas requiring immediate improvement by year-end 2026.

EU-headquartered credit institutions lending to Irish aviation and asset finance sectors through non-EU branches face questions about whether new CRD VI authorisation requirements apply to their operations. This analysis examines the regulatory framework's impact on cross-border lending structures and explores whether the location of a branch affects compliance obligations for institutions whose head offices remain within the European Union.