Overview – M&A Half Year Review 2024

The first half of the year has seen two very different trends in the Irish M&A market.

On the one hand, against a background of macroeconomic volatility and geopolitical tension, the number of transactions in Ireland slowed somewhat with business leaders emphasising caution and holding fire. On the other, two megadeals in the country's flourishing technology sector have pushed deal value to its highest half-year total in three years.

In terms of volume, the year to date has seen 185 announced transactions for Irish companies – a 20% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. In part, that reflects the economic environment globally and in Ireland, with analysts becoming more cautious about growth in the country. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) now expects the Irish economy to expand by just 1.5% during 2024; as recently as October last year, the forecast was 3.3%. The downgrade follows mounting concern about slower momentum across Europe as a whole.