Government Legislation Programme - Measures Impacting Banking And Financial Services

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 European Commission's Market Integration and Supervision Package represents the most substantial EU capital markets reform since MiFID II, proposing to transfer supervisory powers to ESMA and harmonise fragmented regulatory frameworks across trading, post-trading and asset management.

On 18 September 2026, the European Banking Authority (the EBA) published its final report on the new “Guidelines on the sound management of third-party risk regarding non-ICT services (EBA/GL/2026/09)” (the 2026 Guidelines).

The EU Retail Investment Strategy is a legislative package which introduces significant changes to the UCITS Directive and AIFMD, as well as MiFID II, the Insurance Distribution Directive and the Solvency II Directive via an omnibus directive (Omnibus Directive).

The European Banking Authority has published final Guidelines on the sound management of third-party risk regarding non-ICT services, replacing the 2019 Outsourcing Guidelines and introducing a broader regulatory framework. Financial entities will need to navigate expanded scope requirements, enhanced governance standards, and alignment with DORA while managing compliance timelines and contractual obligations.

Ireland is home to a wide variety of financial services providers. To support both providers and their customers, there is an array of financial services legislation...

Ireland offers a sophisticated regulatory framework for Alternative Investment Funds, with structures ranging from ICAVs and Investment Limited Partnerships to Unit Trusts and Common Contractual Funds. The jurisdiction provides flexible options for both retail and institutional investors, with distinct regulatory pathways for RIAIFs, QIAIFs, and ELTIFs, each designed to accommodate different investment strategies and liquidity profiles while maintaining robust investor protections.

The Listing Act Directive introduces significant reforms to the MiFID II research regime, allowing investment firms greater flexibility in paying for research and execution services. This briefing examines how the removal of market capitalisation thresholds restores bundling as a commercial option and establishes a new EU framework for issuer-sponsored research.

The European Commission's proposed overhaul of the SFDR regime is entering crucial trialogue negotiations, with the Irish Presidency aiming to reach agreement by year-end. While the Council and Parliament have aligned on key issues like professional investor opt-outs, significant divergences remain on exclusion criteria for Transition funds, PAI reporting requirements, and engagement strategy disclosures that will shape the future of sustainable finance regulation.

On 30 October 2025, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) announced its decision to move to the next phase of the digital euro project.

The Central Bank of Ireland has established a portal that allows Certain Financial Vehicles, namely Irish Collective Asset-Management Vehicles, unit trusts and credit unions, to register details of their beneficial owners ...

Contacts and connections are a key asset for many businesses, particularly those in the B2B space.

Over the last 25 years, Ireland has earned a reputation as a leading domicile for internationally focussed regulated investment funds.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has published its Action Plan under the Croke Park Public Sector Agreement for the local authority sector.

In a much anticipated judgment, the Court of Justice of the European Union yesterday in "Svensson v Retriever Sverige AB" held that hyperlinking freely available Internet content on another website does not amount to an unlawful "communication to the public".

Unleash the Beast! Monster Energy has successfully invalidated a copycat trade mark registration in the EU for INSOMNIA ENERGY protecting energy drinks. Our Intellectual Property team considers the key takeaways for brand owners.

Broadly speaking, artificial intelligence (AI) is the term given to the ability of computer software to simulate human cognition,...

Anyone who has attempted to register a .com for their organisation knows that the good ones are taken.

The General Data Protection Regulation will come into effect two years after it is published in the Official Journal of the EU.

The Platform to Business Regulation (2019/1150) (‘P2B Regulation') addresses the perceived imbalance between online platform providers and traders, as well as between online search engines ...