M&A Review – Outlook

Irish M&A activity has been relatively muted in the first half of the year in line with the global M&A market.

While Ireland's economy continues to outperform international peers, the international pressures to which all economies are currently subject – elevated inflation fears, rising interest rates and the threat of recession – are unlikely to lift in the very short term. Nor does the geopolitical backdrop provide much solace given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as well as tensions between China and western governments. On this basis, while we expect to see reasonably healthy levels of Irish M&A activity, the prospect of a significant uplift in the second half of the year looks limited.