266. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the key measures taken in the area of company and corporate affairs since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53465/26]

The following provides an overview of the principal measures progressed in the area of company and corporate affairs during 2025 and 2026, along with my Department’s key priorities in this area for the remainder of this year:

Government approval was received in July 2024 for the drafting of a Bill to modernise Ireland’s limited partnership regime. The proposed legislation will repeal and replace the Limited Partnerships Act 1907 and the Registration of Business Names Act 1963. The Bill will establish a modernised framework that strengthens transparency, enhances regulatory oversight, and ensures the regime is fit for contemporary enterprise needs. The Bill is currently included on the Government’s Legislative Programme under “Other Legislation”, and in the intervening period, my Department has carried out further detailed policy research and has engaged with stakeholders, including stakeholders who are active users of both the limited partnership framework and of enterprise funding structures, to inform the ongoing development of the new Bill. A public consultation was launched on 7th July 2026 on a number of potential policy measures developed following this research and engagement. The objective of the reforms under consideration is to facilitate investment and improve ease of doing business. More information on the public consultation is available on this webpage-  enterprise.gov.ie/en/consultations/public-consultation-on-reform-of-limited-partnership-framework.html

Following political agreement at EU level in December 2025 on the Omnibus proposals relating to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Department has progressed work on the necessary amendments to Ireland's CSRD transposition measures. This includes the timely transposition of the ‘Stop-the -Clock’ Directive through S.I. No. 309 of 2025, signed on 7 July 2025. My Department is currently working with the Office of the Parliamentary Council to transpose the relevant CSRD articles of the Omnibus I Directive. It is the Department’s intention to introduce the necessary CSRD-related legislative amendments during 2026, ahead of the March 2027 deadline, in order to provide companies with much-needed legal clarity on their sustainability reporting requirements. The CSDDD provides that in-scope companies will, for the first time, have legal obligations to conduct risk-based human rights and environmental due diligence and integrate due diligence into all corporate policies and risk management systems. The revised CSDDD must be transposed into Irish law by July 2028.

A Periodic Critical Review of IAASA was completed in November 2025. The Review confirmed the Authority's strong performance and identified a number of recommendations to support its future development. Significant progress has been made in progressing these recommendations and work is continuing on the remaining actions. My Department is undertaking a Periodic Critical Review of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board in 2026.

The Company Law Review Group (CLRG) is a statutory body tasked with monitoring, reviewing, and advising the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment on matters relating to the Companies Act 2014 and related issues. Nominations and expressions of interest were sought in early 2026 for Membership of the CLRG from 2026-2030. Minister Smyth has appointed a new Chair, Professor Deirdre Ahern, Trinity College Dublin and has issued the Warrants of Appointment for the new Membership. The CLRG and the Department are in the process of developing a new Work Programme for the period 2026 – 2028.

Arising from consideration of a report from the Company Law Review Group, in relation to access to residential addresses of company Directors and Secretaries, my Department launched a public consultation in November 2025 on proposed legislative changes. Following consideration of the responses received, Government approval was received in May for related changes to the Companies Act, with similar changes to be reflected in the drafting of the Co-operative Societies Bill and the Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names Bill.  The Co-operative Societies Bill will be the vehicle to amend the Companies Act and drafting of this Bill is now largely complete, subject to completion of a quality assurance exercise with the OPC and advisory counsel in the Office of the Attorney General. I expect to be in a position to bring this Bill to Government in the Autumn, seeking approval for publication.

The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024 contains provisions to enhance and amend the legislative framework provided by the Companies Act 2014 in the areas of governance, administration, insolvency, enforcement and supervision. The majority of the provisions are in force and I expect the remaining provisions to be commenced later 2026 once the necessary administrative and ICT arrangements are in place in the Companies Registration Office.

A key focus for my Department during the current Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU is the company law proposal for a 28th Regime – EU Inc. This proposed new corporate form will be an optional, digital-by-default European corporate framework intended to make it easier for businesses to start, operate and grow across the EU. Negotiations on the proposal are ongoing under the Irish Presidency with a view to delivering on the very challenging timeframe set by the European Council of agreement by the co-legislators by year end.

Following a recruitment process conducted by the Public Appointments Service, two new Members have been appointed to the Corporate Enforcement Authority with effect from 27 July 2026 for a five-year term. These appointments will strengthen the Authority's capacity to respond to increasingly complex corporate wrongdoing and support the effective discharge of its statutory functions. The addition of the two Members will also support the implementation of the Authority's Strategy Statement and deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to further build capacity to tackle white-collar crime.

Officials from my Department represented Ireland’s position in the intensive negotiations on the proposed EU Directive harmonising certain aspects of insolvency law, commonly known as INSOL III.  The Directive was recently adopted and supports greater convergence of insolvency frameworks across Member States through measures relating to avoidance actions, asset tracing, pre-pack proceedings, directors’ duties and creditors’ committees. The Directive forms part of the European Commission’s Capital Markets Union agenda, aimed at reducing barriers to cross-border investment and improving legal certainty for investors and creditors. My Department will continue to progress the work necessary to ensure the timely transposition of the Directive into Irish law.

Instructions on the transposition of the EU Directive on multiple-vote share structures in companies that seek admission to trading of their shares on a multilateral trading facility were finalised earlier this year and have been sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.