International Arbitration Guide 2021: Ireland

1 Arbitration Agreements

1.1 What, if any, are the legal requirements of an arbitration agreement under the laws of your jurisdiction?

Ireland adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (the "Model Law") with the passing of the Arbitration Act 2010 into law. Ireland applies Option 1 of Article 7 of the Model Law to the requirements of an arbitration agreement. An arbitration agreement must be in writing, which can be as an arbitration agreement within a contract or as a stand-alone agreement to arbitrate. The requirement for an arbitration agreement is interpreted broadly, such that it may be satisfied if its content is recorded in any form.

1.2 What other elements ought to be incorporated in an arbitration agreement?