The Irish courts have consistently adopted a strongly pro‑enforcement stance toward foreign arbitral awards. Grounds for refusal of recognition and enforcement of awards are narrowly construed, and the courts enforce awards promptly unless there is a very clear and compelling reason not to.
Recent Irish High Court decisions have reaffirmed confidence in Ireland as a reliable, pro‑enforcement jurisdiction.
Legislative Framework
All arbitrations in Ireland are governed by the Arbitration Act 2010 (2010 Act). (See our earlier briefing on the application of the 2010 Act to arbitrations generally).
The UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (Model Law) is incorporated in full as Schedule 1 to the 2010 Act, and section 6 provides that the Model Law “shall have the force of law in the State”.