28th November 2025
Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth today (28 November) announced the launch of a public consultation on proposed changes to the Companies Act 2014 and related legislation.
Announcing the public consultation, Minister Smyth said:
“Today I am launching a public consultation on proposed changes to the Companies Act 2014 in relation to access to the residential addresses of company directors and secretaries.”
"The proposed changes seek to provide an appropriate balance between access to information and individual privacy considerations and follow consideration of the recommendations of a recent report from the Company Law Review Group.”
The consultation seeks views on the proposed changes to the Companies Act, 2014 in relation to access to the residential addresses of company Directors and Secretaries. There are also implications for the Co-operative Societies Bill and the Registration of Limited Partnership and Business Names Bill, which are currently being drafted, and it is proposed to take a similar approach in these Bills.
The consultation documents are available at: Public consultation on proposed changes to the Companies Act 2014 and related legislation and responses should be emailed to companylawconsultation@enterprise.gov.ie using the response template provided.
The consultation remains open until 5pm on Friday, 19 December 2025.
ENDS
Notes
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is seeking the views of stakeholders and interested parties on proposed changes to the Companies Act 2014 in relation to access to the usual residential addresses of company Directors and Secretaries. It is also proposed that similar changes be reflected in the drafting of the Co-operative Societies Bill and the Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names Bill.
The consultation is divided into three parts and responses can address any or all elements:
- Section A - the Companies Act 2014;
- Section B - the Co-operative Societies Bill;
- Section C - the Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names Bill.
Background
Under the Companies Act 2014, companies must keep and make publicly available a Register of Directors and Secretaries containing, amongst other information, the directors and secretaries (Relevant Officers) “usual residential address”. Company filings with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) in relation to incorporation, appointment / change of directors and annual returns also include the “usual residential addresses” of relevant officers which is also publicly available.
The Company Law Review Group recently submitted a “Report on the Review of the provisions pertaining to the disclosure of an officer’s residential addresses having regard to company transparency requirements and GDPR” to Peter Burke T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and Niamh Smyth T.D., Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation.
Proposed amendments to the Companies Act 2014
It is intended to amend the Companies Act 2014 to provide that a company’s relevant officer may at any time provide to the company a “contact address”, located in the State, in addition to their “usual residential address” already supplied, for the purposes of access by the public and at which documents may be effectively served on the relevant officer.
The “contact address" will be the only address published on the company’s Register of Directors and Secretaries and the Register of Members, and on the Register of Companies maintained by the CRO. However, the company and CRO will continue to retain a record of the “usual residential address”.
Access to the "usual residential address" will be restricted and will only be available on the Register of Companies to relevant entities as prescribed by the Minister. However, a court may order the disclosure of the “usual residential address” by the company or by the CRO to third parties, where the “contact address” is not effective for service for the purpose of access to justice.
It is intended to repeal the Companies Act (Section 150) (No. 2) Regulations 2015. A relevant officer previously granted an exemption under the 2015 Regulations may continue to use the alternate address as the “contact address” but will be required to provide “a usual residential address”.
The changes will not have retrospective effect so the “usual residential address” of relevant officers will continue to be available on previous filings with the CRO.
It is intended to provide that the Minister should prescribe the relevant entities, to whom disclosure, from the Register of Companies, of the relevant officer’s “usual residential address” should be permitted would include law enforcement, regulatory authorities and others. The proposed list of such entities is based on the current Tier 1 users of the Register of Beneficial Ownership of Companies and Industrial and Provident Societies, as provided for under the RBO Regulations.
Implications for the Co-operative Societies Bill and the Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names Bill
A similar approach to that set out under the Companies Act is proposed to be reflected in the drafting of these Bills.
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