This briefing sets out a high level review of issues relevant to
secured lending in Ireland.
LENDING IN IRELAND
Commercial lending is generally not a regulated activity in
Ireland, although lending to natural person 'consumers' may
trigger a licencing requirement. Banks licensed in other EU Member
States may be compelled to use their passport to carry on a lending
activity in Ireland that would otherwise be unregulated.
Many lenders in the Irish market are regulated for other reasons
(i.e. by virtue of taking deposits or conducting insurance or
intermediary business), those lenders are subject to the Central
Bank of Ireland's ("CBI") codes of conduct such as
the Code of Conduct on Business Lending to Small and Medium
Enterprises, the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears and the
Consumer Protection Code. Provision of credit in the form of cash
loans to natural person individuals may require authorisation by
the CBI as a 'retail credit firm' subject to
