Ireland: Government, Public Sector

The European Union has introduced its most comprehensive overhaul of foreign direct investment screening since 2020, establishing harmonised minimum standards across all Member States for reviewing investments in strategically sensitive sectors. This revised framework significantly expands the scope of transactions subject to review, introduces stricter procedural requirements, and enhances coordination mechanisms between national authorities and the European Commission.

A leading Irish law firm's Competition and Regulated Markets Group provides comprehensive merger control advisory services, handling complex cases before the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and European Commission. The team also navigates Ireland's foreign direct investment screening regime, assisting international investors and Irish businesses with national security and public order considerations in cross-border transactions.

The European Union has introduced sweeping reforms to foreign direct investment screening that will fundamentally reshape how Member States, including Ireland, review cross-border transactions for security and public order concerns. These changes establish a harmonised baseline for mandatory notifications, introduce coordinated timelines for multi-country deals, and create enhanced information-sharing mechanisms across all 27 Member States. Ireland's recently implemented FDI screening regime will need to ad

As the 17 July 2026 deadline approaches for Member States to identify critical entities under the CER Directive, organisations in key sectors must understand the implications of potential designation. This analysis examines the designation criteria, compliance obligations, enforcement mechanisms, and the interplay between the CER Directive and other regulatory frameworks like NIS 2 and DORA.

The European Union's evolving regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and health data is creating new compliance challenges and opportunities for life sciences organizations. From the AI Act's refinements to the delayed NIS2 Directive transposition in Ireland, stakeholders must navigate multiple intersecting frameworks while preparing for the European Health Data Space Regulation's implementation.

Ireland assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at a pivotal moment, with a six-month agenda centered on competitiveness, values, and security. The programme emphasizes simplification of existing frameworks, resilience across critical sectors, and preparation for the EU's next long-term investment cycle through 2034.

Ireland's position as a FinTech hub makes it an attractive jurisdiction for payment institutions seeking authorisation.

The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism's (AMLA) consultation on draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) on pecuniary sanctions...

The global security landscape remains highly unstable, shaped by ongoing conflicts and intensifying geopolitical tensions. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza continue to shape the wider international defence landscape...

Adoption of a proposal by the European Commission for a Public Procurement Act to revise the Public Procurement Directives has been rescheduled to September 2026.

Ireland's Department of Transport has launched a public consultation on revising the National Ports Policy 2013, running until August 2026. The draft policy addresses government investment options for port infrastructure and highlights the need for significant additional capacity on the east coast beyond 2040.

The European Committee of the Regions adopted its evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives in the context of the revision of the Public Procurement Directives. The European Commission is scheduled to have an orientation debate on 3 June 2026 and to announce the Public Procurement Act on 3 July 2026.