CEA Disqualified 22 Company Directors in 2024

The Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) secured the restriction of 98 company directors and the disqualification of 22 directors last year. It received over 270 public complaints and nearly 200 statutory reports in 2024. Established in July 2022, the CEA replaced the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). In 2024, it examined over 980 statutory reports from liquidators regarding insolvent companies and their directors. The agency obtained 52 court orders, took 145 witness statements, and made seven arrests during investigations. Four investigation files were submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The CEA also obtained criminal convictions for various company law offences, including furnishing false information, failure to ensure accounting compliance, and acting as a disqualified director. Convictions were also secured for deception and theft.

The CEA is a multi-disciplinary agency comprising accounting staff, legal professionals, An Garda Síochána members, and digital forensics specialists.