Market Intelligence

The Central Bank of Ireland has published a consultation paper proposing new guidance on managing third-party risks that extends beyond traditional outsourcing to encompass partnerships, joint ventures, and fintech collaborations. The proposed framework aligns with recent European Banking Authority guidelines and DORA, introducing a lifecycle-based approach with enhanced contractual provisions and broader scope than the 2021 guidance it will replace. Financial entities now face the challenge of identifying

The Central Bank of Ireland has published a comprehensive consultation on proposed changes to its industry funding levy methodologies, marking a significant shift away from PRISM impact categorisation toward ad valorem approaches for multiple industry categories. These changes affect insurance undertakings, investment firms, retail credit firms, and payment institutions, with implementation planned over a four-year transition period beginning in 2027.

The Central Bank of Ireland has released its year-end 2026 application deadlines for various fund types and regulatory filings, establishing critical submission timeframes for firms seeking authorizations...

The Supreme Court has clarified the enforceability of unilateral variation clauses in commercial lending agreements, examining whether Bank of Ireland had contractual authority to replace EURIBOR with its own reference rate. The decision addresses fundamental questions about the scope of discretionary powers in standard-form contracts and the limits on a lender's ability to alter interest calculation methods. What constraints, if any, apply when a bank exercises "absolute discretion" to change the terms gov

The European Central Bank's launch of Pontes and ESMA's analysis of tokenised equities signal a major infrastructure shift in EU financial services, yet Irish company and funds law has not kept pace with these developments. This creates particular challenges for legal title and shareholder registers in tokenised funds. The article explores these key developments and their implications for Ireland's fund management sector.

In October 2026, the Central Bank of Ireland (“Central Bank”) published a consultation paper (“CP173”) on draft Guidance on Good Practices for the Sound Management of Third-Party Risks (the “Draft Guidance”). Once finalised, the Draft Guidance will replace the Central Bank’s Cross-Industry Guidance on Outsourcing published in December 2021 (the “2021 Guidance”)