Ireland: Contracts and Commercial Law

The UK Government's Commercial Payments Bill proposes to abolish construction retentions in Great Britain following a two-year transition period, fundamentally changing how construction projects manage payment security and defect remediation. While the Bill extends wider payment reforms to Northern Ireland, the retention ban itself does not currently apply there, creating important jurisdictional distinctions for businesses operating across the UK. What alternative security mechanisms will replace retention

Construction contracts under the Public Works Contract establish a rigorous procedural framework that contractors must navigate before any valuation of variations or compensation events can occur. This analysis examines the critical distinction between establishing entitlement through proper claims procedures and the subsequent valuation process, exploring how failure to comply with notice requirements and conditions precedent can bar claims regardless of their underlying merit.

Walkers Ireland offers practical guidance for candidates applying to their Trainee Solicitor Programme, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating genuine interest in financial services law and explaining what makes you a strong fit for the firm. Learn how to craft authentic, well-structured applications that showcase your skills through real examples and reflect your unique motivations for pursuing a career in this specialized field.

In its recent decision in QPQ Limited v Schute [2026] IEHC 463, the High Court confirmed that it has an inherent jurisdiction to order the disclosure of litigation funding arrangements where there is a credible basis for believing the proceedings may be supported by unlawful third-party funding.

Irish organisations face mounting challenges in demonstrating measurable returns from their AI investments, with 69% of larger companies actively concerned about ROI and only 11% reporting positive results to date. As new EU regulations including the AI Act, DORA, NIS 2, and the Data Act introduce stringent requirements, many are forced to revisit first-generation AI contracts that inadequately addressed risk allocation and return metrics.

When Ubisoft shut down servers for its 2014 racing game The Crew, players lost access to content they had purchased. This sparked a European Citizens' Initiative gathering 1.3 million signatures demanding publishers keep games playable after commercial support ends. The European Commission's response and its implications for digital content sellers across all sectors reveal critical obligations under existing EU consumer protection law.

The Irish High Court has ruled that arbitration clauses do not prevent creditors from presenting winding-up petitions when debts are genuinely disputed.

The long‑anticipated Irish implementing measures for Directive (EU) 2024/927 (known as “AIFMD II” or “UCITS VI”) have now been published, with the making of the implementing...

The Irish legislation implementing AIFMD II provisions has been published and comes into operation on 1 May 2026, introducing significant updates to both UCITS and AIF legislative frameworks.