The long awaited legislation which provides for the establishment of the Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicle (the ICAV) has now been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas.
Asset Management & Investment FundsThe Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill (the Bill) is currently making its way through Parliament, bringing with it a number of important changes to company law. The intention of some of these changes is increased transparency, whilst other changes simplify company filing requirements. The Bill is expected to pass into law in early 2015, but it will come into force in stages.
BelfastThe Chinese Ministry of Commerce ("MOFCOM") released the draft of its proposed new foreign investment law (the "Draft Law") for public consultation on 19 January 2015.
Investing in IrelandWith the recent devolvement of corporation tax setting powers, the frequent announcements of new jobs coming into Northern Ireland not to mention the reported increase in the level of activity in the real estate sector, is it safe to assume that this is going to be a good year for businesses in Northern Ireland?
BelfastThe public consultation on the use of zero-hours contracts in Northern Ireland closed at the end of September 2014. Following the consultation process, Minister Farry announced this week that an outright ban on 'zero-hours' contracts will not be introduced in Northern Ireland and stated that '[s]uch a ban could have unintended consequences in relation to individuals and employment opportunities'.
BelfastThe legislation which provides for the establishment of the Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicle (the ICAV) has now been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas. The ICAV is a new form of corporate vehicle specifically tailored for the funds industry. The ICAV will sit alongside the available fund structures in Ireland, namely the variable capital company (VCC), the unit trust, the common con
Asset Management & Investment FundsThe Central Bank of Ireland today published a report of its observations in relation to Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and Financial Sanctions (FS) compliance by banks in Ireland.
Financial RegulationOn 9 February 2015 the Central Bank of Ireland published a statement of enforcement priorities for 2015. This is its fifth annual statement of areas on which it intends to focus in order to deter breaches of regulatory requirements and to promote high compliance standards within all regulated firms.
Financial RegulationThe Equality Tribunal (the Tribunal) recently issued its latest determination on the topical subject of age discrimination and compulsory retirement (Richard Lett v Earagail Eisc Teo (DEC E2014-076). The Tribunal awarded €24,000 to a seafood company employee who had his working hours reduced from five to three days a week for twenty eight weeks before he was forced to retire at 66.
EmploymentEvery executive in business inevitably meets competitors. Commercial life probably could not function if one did not meet competitors at some point – for example, at meetings of trade associations, where companies come together to tender for a job that none of them could do individually or when regulators and government agencies call industry representatives together to canvass the views of the in
EU, Competition & ProcurementThe Industrial Tribunal decision in Neil Bickerstaff –and- Gerard Butcher (Case Ref: 92/14) has attracted considerable media attention over recent days and with good reason. The decision is the first reported Tribunal decision on the question of whether obesity is a disability.
BelfastFollowing on from our update on 13 January last, the Labour Court has issued another interesting decision on the accrual of annual leave whilst on sick leave.
Employment
