Ireland: Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

The Unified Patent Court's jurisdiction is extending beyond its contracting member states, creating new enforcement possibilities and risks for businesses across Europe. Recent landmark decisions are establishing when the UPC can hear cases involving non-member territories like Ireland and the UK, with significant implications for patent holders, defendants, and even EU authorized representatives who may find themselves unexpectedly drawn into pan-European patent disputes.

The Irish High Court has clarified the standards for material non-disclosure in ex parte Letters Rogatory applications, examining when procedural omissions warrant setting aside judicial assistance orders. This decision explores the balance between full disclosure obligations and the court's discretion to maintain orders where non-disclosure was inadvertent and no prejudice resulted.

This article examines the mandatory Clause 10.6 valuation hierarchy under the Public Works Contract, exploring how adjustments to contract sums are calculated through rate-based and cost-based methods. It analyzes the legal framework governing variations, from contractual valuation rules through to residual remedies of fair valuation and quantum meruit, with particular attention to preliminary overheads and the procedural discipline required of employers and Employer's Representatives.

Recent developments in Irish mediation law have brought significant changes through a new High Court Practice Direction and a landmark judgment on court-ordered mediation. These developments clarify compliance requirements under the Mediation Act 2017 and establish the courts' power to direct parties into mediation, even against their will in appropriate circumstances.

In Lynch v Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland [2026] IECA 95, the Court of Appeal noted a limitation in respect of section 26 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (2004 Act)...

Two German consumer organizations, Euroconsum e.V. and WhizzBang e.V., have been designated as Ireland's fourth and fifth qualified entities under the Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumer Act 2023.

In January 2026, the High Court delivered judgment in Higgins v Coleman and Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland on the issue of costs and considered the consequences of advancing...

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...

Under the initiative, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) Ireland, a new Europe, Middle East and Africa...