Originally from American Review of International Arbitration - ARIA

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International arbitration has recently become a much talked about subject in Ireland. A number of recent developments have helped to promote and to establish Dublin as an internationally recognized center for international arbitration. Ireland has a number of advantages in attracting international arbitration. These are principally the following: Ireland is located in Europe, it has a history of international neutrality, it does not suffer from the stigma of being a former colonial power, it has recently adopted a suitable international arbitration law and it is English speaking.

In 1998, Ireland adopted a new international arbitration law: the Arbitration (International Commercial) Act, 1998 (the “Act”), based on the UNCITRAL Model Law.1 The adoption of the Act has enabled Ireland to become an extremely attractive forum for international arbitration.

A certain number of key elements are now present to make Ireland a particularly suitable venue for international arbitration. These elements include:

A good network of modern arbitration laws and conventions.

A strong local presence on the part of the main international arbitration institutions.

A favorable attitude of the courts.