An overview of the fintech landscape in Ireland
Client TechOur recent update outlined the Government's proposals to introduce two weeks paid parental leave from November 2019 (via its Parental Leave and Benefit Bill 2019). Last week Ireland took another step forward in enhancing parental leave entitlements through the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 (the Bill). What's new? The Bill, along with some technical amendments, was passed by the Seanad...
EmploymentDomestic News - The Department of Finance launched the new strategy "Ireland for Finance" applicable to the international financial services sector. Amongst other updates, the CBI published a template Key Facts Document for Benchmark Administrator Applications and noted its intention to publish guidance on this later on in the year. EU News - there were also many significant developments, inclu...
Financial RegulationDomestic News - The CBI published its Insurance Quarterly Newsletter. European News - the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) consulted on corrections and amendments to the implementing standards on reporting and disclosure, held a workshop on cyber insurance, published a summary of its fourth InsurTech Roundtable, published its 2018 insurance stress test recommendati...
Financial RegulationDomestic News - Under the Benchmarks Regulation, Euronext announced that ESMA had registered four of its market operators as Benchmark Administrators. European News - ESMA has provided a number of updates to various Q&A documents, which are detailed bel...
Asset Management & Investment FundsDomestic News - the CBI set out its workplan and highlighted areas of strategic focus in relation to funds supervision. European News - The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published updates on UCITS, AIFMD and the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR). ESMA has also published its first annual report on supervisory sanctions...
Financial RegulationDomestic News - There is little to report in terms of notable developments. The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has published a financial stability note in relation to the real-estate concentration in the Irish banking sector, noting that the concentration of the banking system in real-estate lending renders the banking sector vulnerable to potential price corrections. European News - There have...
Financial RegulationIn Ryanair dac v SC Vola.ro srl [2019] IEHC 239 the Irish High Court confirmed the enforceability of a jurisdiction clause contained within a website's Terms of Use, finding the user had agreed to it via a "click-wrap" agreement. Following previous Ryanair screen-scraping cases, the court held the click-wrap agreement met the requirements of Article 25(1) (c) of the Brussels I Recast Regulation...
Commercial & TechnologyThere have been a number of recent developments in Ireland which further facilitate the ability of Irish employers to recruit skilled employees from outside the EEA.
EmploymentHeather Hill Management Company CLG and Gabriel McGoldrick (the Applicants) challenged a decision of An Bord Pleanala (the Board) to grant permission for a strategic housing development.
DisputesPrior to joining A&L Goodbody, I spent a number of years working for the UK Serious Fraud Office, investigating and prosecuting corruption cases which have made headlines worldwide. This gave me an insight into the internal workings of various companies who found themselves on the wrong end of corruption investigations. In all cases, there were a number of corruption indicators which should ha...
DisputesOn March 19, 2019, the European Union (EU) formally adopted Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments (FDI) into the EU (the Regulation). The Regulation, which covers a broad category of foreign investments affecting “security or public order” will came into force on April 10, 2019 and will apply
Corporate & M&A
