Setting Up a Liaison Office in Ireland

 

The representative office is one of the simplest ways for foreign companies to test the Irish market. This is a non-corporate form that can be employed for specific activities that are not commercial. The creation of a liaison office in Ireland is fairly simple and implies meeting fewer requirements compared to other legal forms.

 

Below, our Irish company formation officers invite you to discover what setting up a representative office implies. We are at your service if you want to set up a company in Ireland, no matter its form.
 

Quick Facts
Applicable legislation	Irish Company Law
Status	The representative office does not have legal status, as it is an extension of a foreign enterprise in Ireland.
Uses of a liaison office	Non-commercial activities (marketing, promotion, market testing, etc.)
Restrictions of a representative office (if any)	Yes, it cannot undertake any commercial or sale-related operation.
Minimum share capital (YES/NO)	No
Local representative required (YES/NO)	Yes, an Irish liaison office must have a local representative.
Documents to be filed by parent company	-  business name; - local address; - parent company's Certificate of Registration (copy); - information about the directors.
Local address requirement (YES/NO)	Yes, an Irish address must be supplied.
Authority to be enrolled with	Irish Companies Registration Office
Liability of the parent company	The parent company is liable for the Irish representative office's operations.
Taxation of a liaison office in Ireland	Liaison offices are exempt from taxation.
Possibility of hiring local staff (YES/NO)	Yes
Travel requirements for setting up a representative office (YES/NO)	No, there is no need to come to Ireland to set up a liaison office.
Advantages of a liaison office	- simple and fast to set up; - low administration costs; - it can be used as a marketing tool and to test the local market before entering it.
Support in opening a representative office	YES, we can help you set up an Irish company, including a liaison office.

 

Steps in setting up an Irish representative office

 

The procedure to open a liaison office is not different from that of a branch office. The steps to complete are the same, and so are some of the requirements. In this sense:

 

1. the foreign company must secure a legal address in Ireland;
2. the parent company must also appoint a local agent;
3. the overseas business must prepare a few documents;
4. together with the proof of the address, and details of the local agent, all other information must be filed with the Companies Register.

 

Compared to the branch office, there are fewer documents to file when opening an Irish representative office. Also, the tax and VAT registration steps can be skipped. You can rely on our local advisors if you want to set up such an office hassle-free.

 

What are the documents required to set up a liaison office in Ireland?

 

The following documents are required when registering a representative office in Ireland:

 

• - a notarized and apostilled copy of the parent company’s memorandum and articles of association,
• - a list with the company’s directors,
• - the registered address of the liaison office,
• - the business name of the liaison office.

 

Also, the foreign company must appoint an Irish resident to represent the company and act as a contact point between the representative office and the authorities. The company representative must be appointed by power of attorney. A representative office is not required to submit any annual financial statements with the Irish tax authorities.

 

 

Irish liaison offices - An option for foreign companies

What activities can foreign companies undertake through liaison offices?

• - it may be used to promote various activities, including exports and imports to or from Ireland;
• - another activity that can be carried out by a liaison office is encouraging technical or financial partnerships between Irish companies and the foreign entity;
• - it may also serve as a communication link between the main company and the Irish subsidiaries.

Authorities to register a liaison office with

Aspects to consider before opening a liaison office in Ireland

Economic developments in Ireland

• - at the level of 2021, there were 301,475 employees in multinationals in Ireland;
• - in 2022, their number increased by 24,019;
• - the same year, there were also 103 new investment projects that entered the Irish market.