By Bébhinn Egan, 8th December 2025
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has launched a public consultation on significant changes to how company directors’ personal information is handled under Irish law. These proposed amendments to the Companies Act 2014 could fundamentally alter the balance between corporate transparency and personal privacy for directors and company secretaries across Ireland.
What’s Being Proposed?
Under current legislation, companies must maintain public registers containing the usual residential addresses of directors and secretaries. These addresses are also filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and made publicly available, a requirement that has raised growing concerns about privacy and personal security in an increasingly digital age.
The proposed changes would introduce a two-tier address system. Company officers would be able to provide a “contact address” within Ireland that would serve as their public-facing address. This contact address would appear on all public registers: the company’s Register of Directors and Secretaries, the Register of Members, and the CRO’s Register of Companies. Crucially, while companies and the CRO would still retain records of officers’ usual residential addresses, these would no longer be publicly accessible.
Who Can Access Residential Addresses?
Access to residential addresses wouldn’t disappear entirely, it would simply become restricted. The Minister would prescribe specific entities permitted to access this information, likely including law enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities. The proposed list draws from existing Tier 1 users of the Register of Beneficial Ownership of Companies and Industrial and Provident Societies.
Additionally, courts would retain the power to order disclosure of residential addresses to third parties in cases where the contact address proves ineffective for service of documents, ensuring access to justice isn’t compromised.
What About Existing Records?
It’s important to note that these changes won’t apply retrospectively. Residential addresses already filed with the CRO on previous documents will remain publicly available. The new system would only apply to future filings and updates.
The proposed amendments would also repeal the Companies Act (Section 150) (No. 2) Regulations 2015. Officers who previously received exemptions under those regulations could continue using their alternate address as their contact address but would need to provide a usual residential address going forward.
Beyond the Companies Act
The consultation extends beyond just the Companies Act 2014. Similar provisions are proposed for the Co-operative Societies Bill and the Registration of Limited Partnerships and Business Names Bill, ensuring consistent privacy protections across different business structures.
Why This Matters
These proposed changes represent a significant shift in how Ireland balances corporate transparency with personal privacy. For company directors and secretaries, the reforms could provide welcome protection for their home addresses while maintaining the accountability that public company registers are designed to ensure. The consultation offers an important opportunity for businesses, legal professionals, and other stakeholders to shape how these protections will work in practice.
Disclaimer: This article is for guidance purposes only. It does not constitute legal or professional advice. No liability is accepted by Company Bureau for any action taken or not taken in reliance on the information set out in this article. Professional or legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from any action as a result of this article. Any and all information is subject to change.
