Minister Martin re-appoints members of the Company Law Review Group (CLRG)

Note for Editors:

The CLRG was set up in February 2000 on foot of a Government decision and was accorded statutory advisory status by the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001. Its task is to advise the Minister on the reform and modernisation of Irish company law. In making appointments to the CLRG, nominations are sought from a number of bodies that would be in a position to contribute to the work of the Review Group.

The CLRG is composed of 23 members appointed by the Minister for a period of two years. It is made up of business representatives, company law practitioners, representatives from business and trade unions and government bodies, including the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Revenue Commissioners, the Companies Registration Office, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority and the Financial Regulator.

The principal work of the CLRG since its inception has been the consolidation and reform of company law. The CLRG submitted the General Scheme of the Companies Consolidation and Reform Bill in March 2007 which was approved for drafting by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in July 2007. Drafting began in December 2007 and the process is expected to be completed by the end of July 2009.

The new Companies Bill will radically overhaul the present companies code in Ireland by putting the ‘private limited company’ (which accounts for 90% of Irish companies) at the heart of the legislation, and through a number of reforms designed to ease the burden on establishing and operating a company.

Members:

• Dr. Thomas B. Courtney, Chairman of CLRG, Arthur Cox Solicitors;
• Ralph Mac Darby, Institute of Directors;
• William Johnston, Arthur Cox Solicitors;
• Paul Egan, Mason, Hayes+Curran;
• Paul Farrell, Registrar of Companies;
• Vincent Madigan, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment;
• Michael Halpenny, SIPTU;
• Mike Percival, Irish Banking Federation;
• Jim Byrne, Revenue Commissioners;
• Conall O'Halloran, CCAB-Ireland
• Daryl Byrne, Irish Stock Exchange;
• Marie Daly, IBEC;
• Noel Rubotham, Courts Service;
• Jon Rock, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators;
• Jonathan Buttimore, Office of the Attorney General;
• Paul Appleby, Director of Corporate Enforcement;
• Nora Rice, Companies Registration Office;
• Tanya Holly, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment;
• Lyndon MacCann S.C., Bar Council of Ireland;
• George Treacy, Financial Regulator;
• Ian Drennan, Irish Auditing & Accounting Supervisory Authority;
• Mark Pery Knox Gore, Law Society of Ireland;
• Brian O'Kane, Small Firms Association;
• Mark Fielding, ISME;
• Deirdre-Ann Barr, Matheson Ormsby Prentice.