Against a backdrop of recent and ongoing geopolitical change, the commercial disputes and investigations landscape is continuing to evolve.

Whilst there remains an ongoing emphasis on the importance of bolstering consumer rights, there is a parallel shift towards appropriate simplification of regulatory frameworks at both Irish and European level, particularly given the latter's focus on strengthening European competitiveness. Separately, broader regulatory reforms continue to embed and progress.

Domestically, the new Government has committed to continuing an ambitious agenda of civil justice reform, including modernisation of the Irish courts system, as well as many other initiatives across a range of sectors.

From an insolvency perspective, although the number of Irish insolvencies is reported to have declined, evolving wider global developments are contributing to uncertainty for the coming year. Domestic legislation to strengthen the rights of employees of insolvent companies is being prioritised by the new Government, while the focus at EU level is on harmonising Member State insolvency laws to support the EU's capital markets union.