Corporate watchdog gets more powers under new legislation

Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to be rebranded and get 50% more staff, but legislation stops short of giving forensic accountants the power to sit in on Garda interviews

Ian Drennan, director of corporate enforcement, said the state’s approval of the new legislation marked a ‘watershed moment in Ireland’s strategic approach towards addressing economic and white collar crime’

The state’s corporate enforcement watchdog is to be given enhanced powers to investigate white-collar criminals and its headcount will be increased by 50 per cent under new legislation.

The Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021, due to be published in the coming weeks, will rebrand the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) as a new independent body with the powers to prosecute summary offences in white-collar crime.

The bill stops short of giving ...