Ireland
Overview
The Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, as materially amended in 2018 and 2021, remains Ireland’s core preventive AML/CFT framework. The 2026 National Risk Assessment and first National AML/CFT/CPF Strategy provide current national risk and policy context, while sector rules continue to operate within that statutory base.
Ireland operates a central Register of Beneficial Ownership for in-scope companies and societies. S.I. No. 406/2026 expanded legitimate-interest access to the register in implementation of relevant Directive (EU) 2024/1640 access provisions.
Designated persons must report suspicious transactions under the 2010 Act framework. Central Bank guidance sets expectations for financial-sector AML/CFT systems, and VASPs have been within the AML perimeter since 23 April 2021.
Compliance Calendar2
Requirement
Suspicious transaction / activity report to FIU Ireland
Authority / Report toFIU Ireland (Garda National Economic Crime Bureau); Revenue Commissioners also receive the statutory report under the Irish dual-reporting framework
Deadline / triggerAs soon as practicable after the relevant knowledge or suspicion arises.
Requirement
- Subject scope
- Designated persons within the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, subject to the Act’s scope and sector-specific supervision.
- Trigger
- Knowledge, suspicion or reasonable grounds to suspect that another person has been or is engaged in money laundering or terrorist financing, within the statutory reporting conditions.
- Filing channel
- FIU Ireland operates goAML for electronic STR filing; reporting entities should follow the current FIU/Garda registration and filing instructions.
Impact
- Consequences of non-compliance
- Failure to comply with the statutory reporting duty can create criminal/regulatory consequences. A single fine is not displayed because offence and sanction depend on the breached provision and person/entity involved.
- Enforcement authority
- An Garda Síochána / FIU Ireland; relevant sector supervisor may take separate action.
- Operational impact
- Escalation procedures should reach the MLRO/nominated reporting route quickly enough to support filing as soon as practicable.
Requirement
Business risk assessment and AML/CFT controls
Authority / Report toRelevant competent authority / sector supervisor, including the Central Bank of Ireland for supervised financial firms
Deadline / triggerOngoing. The business risk assessment must be documented, kept up to date and available to the competent authority; no universal external filing date is asserted.
Requirement
- Subject scope
- Designated persons within the 2010 Act as amended, with sector-specific expectations layered on by the relevant competent authority.
- Trigger
- Establishment and continuation of an in-scope business, taking account of customer, product/service, transaction, delivery-channel and geographic risk factors.
Impact
- Consequences of non-compliance
- Deficient risk assessment or controls may lead to supervisory, administrative or criminal consequences depending on the applicable provision and supervisor.
- Enforcement authority
- Relevant competent authority / sector supervisor.
- Operational impact
- Keep a documented enterprise-level assessment current and use it to drive policies, CDD intensity, monitoring and governance.
Authorities & FIU7
FATF Assessment
Measures how fully the jurisdiction has implemented FATF’s technical requirements. It does not measure practical effectiveness.
Measures whether the AML/CFT system achieves its intended results in practice. Follow-up reports do not normally replace these ratings.
Explore 40 FATF RecommendationsSee every Technical Compliance rating and what it means.+
Explore 11 Immediate OutcomesSee how FATF rates whether the AML/CFT system works in practice.+
Regulatory Timeline46
The Law Society of Ireland published the Solicitors (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 367 of 2026) on 7 September 2026 and states that they came into effect on 1 September 2026. They update the 2020 regulations to reflect legislative changes made by the 2021 AML/CFT Amendment Act.
Ireland launched its first National Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing Strategy on 13 August 2026. The strategy covers 2026–2030 and builds on the 2026 National Risk Assessment and priority actions.
Ireland’s Central Register of Beneficial Ownership states that S.I. No. 406/2026 amends the 2019 and 2023 beneficial-ownership regulations to expand legitimate-interest access to the central register in line with Articles 11–15 of Directive (EU) 2024/1640.
Ireland launched its 2026 National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing on 18 June 2026, together with a 30-point Priority Actions Implementation Plan. The assessment updates national understanding of financial-crime threats and includes proliferation-financing risk.
Pre-existing VASPs using the national transition needed MiCAR CASP authorisation by the end of the transitional period.
S.I. No. 310 of 2025 gives domestic effect to the EU information-accompanying-transfers-of-funds regime, Regulation (EU) 2023/1113. It designates the Central Bank of Ireland as competent supervisor of payment service and crypto-asset service providers; supplies compliance investigation and breach-reporting powers, records-retention directions and offences. The notice of the instrument appeared in Iris Oifigiúil on 22 July 2025 and the Regulations commenced on 1 August 2025.
S.I. No. 311 of 2025 amends the European Union (Anti-Money Laundering: Beneficial Ownership of Trusts) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 194 of 2021). It deletes Regulation 27(6) and adjusts the cross-references in Regulation 29(1) and 29(3) accordingly. The instrument was made on 8 July 2025 and came into operation on 10 July 2025; its making was notified in Iris Oifigiúil on 15 July 2025. It aims to give further effect to EU Directive 2015/849 as amended by Directive 2024/1640.
FATF revised Recommendation 16 to standardise payment information and strengthen fraud/error controls in cross-border payments.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The Central Bank of Ireland confirmed that in June 2025 it published the first two sector-specific AML/CFT Risk Evaluation Questionnaire (REQ) templates and guidance, for credit institutions and for payment institutions/electronic money institutions, beginning a phased replacement of the generic REQ with sector-specific returns.
FATF amended Recommendation 1 and related interpretive material to strengthen proportionality and simplified measures under the risk-based approach.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The MiCAR authorisation framework begins applying, with transitional arrangements for qualifying pre-existing Irish VASPs.
FATF revised Recommendations 4, 30, 31 and 38 and related interpretive material to make asset recovery a stronger operational priority, expand tools to trace and confiscate criminal property and improve domestic and international cooperation.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗At its February 2023 Plenary FATF revised Recommendation 25 and its Interpretive Note to strengthen transparency and beneficial-ownership requirements for trusts and similar legal arrangements, complementing the 2022 strengthening of Recommendation 24 for legal persons.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗FATF strengthened Recommendation 24 on beneficial ownership transparency for legal persons.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗VASPs established in Ireland must register with the Central Bank for AML/CFT purposes and comply with the relevant 2010–2021 Act obligations.
The 2021 Act expands and updates the Irish AML/CFT framework, including the virtual-asset service provider perimeter.
FATF amended Recommendations 1 and 2 and their Interpretive Notes so countries and covered private-sector entities must identify, assess and mitigate risks of breaches, non-implementation or evasion of proliferation-related targeted financial sanctions.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The Basel Committee revised its ML/TF risk-management guidelines to add principles for information exchange and cooperation between prudential and AML/CFT supervisors in authorisation, ongoing supervision and enforcement.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗FATF adopted detailed implementation requirements for virtual assets and VASPs in June 2019, including the application of wire-transfer information requirements commonly described as the Travel Rule. This operationalised the virtual-asset perimeter introduced through the 2018 Recommendation 15 revision.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗Ireland establishes a central register for beneficial ownership information of relevant companies and industrial/provident societies.
The amendment strengthens the risk-based framework, FIU architecture, CDD, internal controls and other preventive requirements.
In October 2018 FATF revised Recommendation 15 and added the definitions of virtual asset and virtual asset service provider, formally bringing virtual-asset activity into the global AML/CFT standards architecture. Detailed implementation requirements followed in 2019.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The Basel Committee issued Sound management of risks related to money laundering and financing of terrorism, superseding its 2001 CDD and 2004 consolidated KYC papers and integrating ML/TF risk management with prudential supervisory expectations.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗FATF adopted a consolidated revised set of 40 Recommendations integrating AML, CFT and proliferation-financing safeguards.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The 2010 Act was enacted on 5 May 2010 and the principal commencement order brought it into operation on 15 July 2010. Wave 03 removes the duplicate record that incorrectly treated enactment as the effective date.
Resolution 1737 imposed binding measures concerning Iran’s proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, including an asset freeze on designated individuals and entities. Together with the DPRK regime, it forms a foundational UN counter-proliferation targeted-financial-sanctions architecture.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗Following the DPRK nuclear test, Resolution 1718 imposed binding sanctions including an asset freeze on designated persons and entities connected to the nuclear programme. It became a central UN targeted-financial-sanctions pillar for counter-proliferation financing.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗FATF added a ninth Special Recommendation addressing cash couriers and cross-border movement of currency.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗Resolution 1540 requires all States to adopt and enforce laws and domestic controls to prevent non-State actors from acquiring or using weapons of mass destruction and related materials. It forms a binding global legal pillar of the proliferation-financing control environment later reflected in FATF CPF standards.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗The UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption on 31 October 2003. UNCAC addresses prevention of money laundering, laundering of corruption proceeds, confiscation and a dedicated asset-recovery framework; the Convention entered into force globally on 14 December 2005.
Current UN depositary relationship to 2003 UN Convention against Corruption. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗FATF comprehensively revised its AML/CFT Recommendations, strengthening preventive measures and extending coverage.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The Basel Committee issued Customer due diligence for banks, setting minimum supervisory expectations for customer acceptance, identification, ongoing monitoring and risk management. It became an influential global banking KYC/CDD benchmark and was later reflected in FATF standards.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗FATF expanded its standards to terrorist financing through eight Special Recommendations.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗Resolution 1373 requires all States to prevent and suppress terrorist financing, criminalise the provision or collection of funds for terrorist acts, freeze terrorist assets without delay and prohibit making funds or financial services available to terrorists and related entities.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗The Palermo Convention was adopted on 15 November 2000 and broadened the international money-laundering framework beyond drug proceeds through criminalisation and preventive measures tied to transnational organised crime. It entered into force globally on 29 September 2003.
Current UN depositary relationship to 2000 Palermo Convention. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗The UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism on 9 December 1999, creating the treaty framework for criminalising terrorist financing and international cooperation. It entered into force globally on 10 April 2002.
Current UN depositary relationship to 1999 Terrorist Financing Convention. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗Resolution 1267 imposed an assets freeze and other targeted sanctions in the Taliban context and created the Security Council committee that became the foundation of the UN 1267 sanctions architecture. It is a key global precursor to modern terrorist-financing targeted financial sanctions.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗FinCEN-sourced historical membership data records Ireland's FIU among Egmont admissions in 1997. The current Egmont roster carries a different raw admission value (2009-12-31), which is preserved separately rather than used to overwrite the historical relationship start.
FATF revised the Forty Recommendations to reflect evolving money-laundering methods and countermeasures.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗Representatives of 13 financial intelligence units met in Brussels on 9 June 1995 and founded what became the Egmont Group. The milestone created the operational global network for FIU-to-FIU cooperation and exchange of financial intelligence.
Current profile relationship to the Egmont network. This does not imply membership in 1995; admission history is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
Egmont Group · Member FIUs ↗Part IV of the Criminal Justice Act 1994 established the money-laundering offence and preventive obligations including identification, record-keeping and reporting-related duties. This restores the framework origin that predates the 2010 consolidated Act.
FATF records Ireland as a member since 1991.
FATF issued its original Forty Recommendations, establishing the first global AML standard framework.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The G7 established FATF in 1989 to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering. FATF became the central global standard-setting body whose recommendations are implemented through national and regional AML/CFT frameworks.
Current relationship. Direct FATF membership and any listed regional assessment network participation are current profile relationships only. The GLOBAL milestone does not prove membership or domestic implementation on the event date; those remain LOCAL/STATUS evidence.
FATF Global Network ↗The Vienna Convention was adopted on 20 December 1988 and created the first treaty-level international obligation to criminalise laundering conduct linked to drug-trafficking proceeds, alongside confiscation and international-cooperation measures. It entered into force globally on 11 November 1990.
Current UN depositary relationship to 1988 Vienna Convention. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗The Basel Committee published a Statement of Principles for banks aimed at reducing the risk that banking institutions would be used by criminals or as channels for money laundering. This helped establish the preventive and supervisory side of AML alongside the emerging criminal-law framework.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗