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Ireland for Finance Vision: 2030 Strategy
The Department of Finance (DoF) published the Ireland for Finance – vision 2030 strategy (strategy) setting out Ireland’s ambitions for the international financial services sector through 2030. The strategy reinforces Ireland’s position as the third largest funds domicile globally with approximately €5.6tn in investment funds and identifies funds and asset management as a high impact thematic priority with a particular focus on ETFs, money market funds and private assets. The strategy advances recommendations of the Funds Sector 2030 Review and targets material growth in AUM of regulated investment funds through both public and private markets.
Legislative simplification and EU transposition
The strategy commits to timely, transparent and coherent transposition of EU financial services legislation, avoiding additional national requirements where possible. The DoF will establish a policy delivery forum for industry engagement on financial services legislation and will collate a rolling multi–annual legislative plan with indicative timelines for proposed legislation.
AIFs, AIFMD and private assets
The strategy identifies the implementation of AIFMD–related legislative and regulatory changes in 2026, together with tax changes made in 2025, as measures supporting growth in private assets. Key measures include modernisation of the 1907 Limited Partnership Act, with D/ETE progressing amendments through the Miscellaneous Provisions (Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names) Bill and launching a consultation on reform of the limited partnership framework in July 2026. A dividend withholding tax exemption for investment limited partnerships has also been introduced. European private markets are forecast to exceed €5 trillion in AUM by 2030. D/ETE will develop an issues paper examining barriers to investment in scaling equity funds, with a view to identifying policy actions to enhance investment in scaling companies.
ETFs
Irish–domiciled ETF AUM grew from €630bn (Q4 2020) to €1.89tn (Q4 2025) with 70% of European ETFs domiciled in Ireland. The European ETF market is forecast to exceed US$6tn in AUM by 2030.
Tokenisation and digital assets
Tokenisation is identified as central to the digital transformation of financial services, with applications underway across asset management, asset servicing, funds, banking and market infrastructure. The government is committed to supporting fund tokenisation with an examination of the ICAV Act and the Companies Act underway to modernise the domestic legislative framework where needed. The CBI published a discussion paper on tokenisation (DP 12) inviting feedback on opportunities and risks associated with tokenised financial assets and fund structures. Tokenised money market funds are highlighted as a practical use case, offering real time transparency, modern distribution and instant settlement, as well as demonstrating the feasibility and regulatory viability of using public blockchains.
Many of the world’s largest financial institutions with substantive Irish operations are already adopting tokenised models. A new digital assets industry group will be convened by the DoF.
Supervision and regulation
The CBI has published a simplification roadmap covering supervision, regulation, gatekeeping, reporting and data. Key elements include:
The DoF will work with the CBI and industry on implementing the simplification roadmap, the industry levy consultation and the introduction of a new Regulatory Impact Assessment framework. The CBI is also updating its cross–industry guidance on outsourcing to make its expectations clearer and remove duplication where EU requirements are in place.
Sustainable finance
As at Q3 2025, Ireland hosted approximately €2tn in Article 8 and €36bn in Article 9 Irish domiciled funds. Ireland is actively engaging in the development of the EU’s SFDR 2.0 framework, advocating for a practical product categorisation system. The strategy notes that developments supporting the growth of private asset funds, including ELTIFs, will be positive for sustainable finance.
Capital markets, retail participation and innovation
The government will publish a savings and investments roadmap setting out an intended approach to simplify and adapt the tax framework to encourage retail investment. The government’s planned investment account is intended to encourage retail participation in capital markets and reduce the complexities related to retail investment in Ireland.
The strategy positions Ireland’s funds sector as central to the EU’s Savings and Investments Union, which aims to mobilise private capital, deepen EU capital markets and enhance retail participation. Ireland acts as a gateway of significant scale for global investment into Europe, and the strategy identifies Ireland’s ecosystem of asset managers, investment funds, banks and market infrastructure providers as well placed to support these objectives.
The CBI’s innovation hub and innovation sandbox programme continue to provide a structured pathway for innovators with a further sandbox iteration planned.
CBI reviews of closed indexing and value for money
The CBI announced that it will shortly commence two ESMA driven supervisory reviews focusing on closet indexing and value for money (VfM). These initiatives aim to drive supervisory convergence and support focus area five of the CBI's 2026 Regulatory & Supervisory Outlook report priority of enhancing oversight of product costs and disclosures. The CBI noted that ESMA has provided analysis to support the identification of firms for review, using established methodologies, building on its work on costs and performance of retail investment products and closet indexing indicators.
CBI independent review of enforcement activities
The CBI has commissioned an independent review of the effectiveness and efficiency of its enforcement activities. The review will consider the role of enforcement within the wider supervisory framework, including enforcement structures, decision–making, case selection, timeliness and transparency. A report and recommendations will be published in due course. For further details, see our insight.
For more information on these topics please contact any member of A&L Goodbody's Asset Management & Investment Funds team.
Date published: 7 September 2026