The Investigations Conference in April: what every professional conducting investigations needs to know
Ireland’s investigation workload is growing. The Corporate Enforcement Authority restricted 98 company directors and disqualified a further 22 in 2024 alone. It received over 270 public complaints and examined more than 980 statutory reports from liquidators in the same year. At the Workplace Relations Commission, complaint applications rose 18% in 2024 to 7,316, with over 9,000 adjudication cases scheduled for hearing.
For organisations conducting internal or regulatory investigations, the margin for error is shrinking.
The Investigations Conference 2026, organised by La Touche Training, takes place on 23 April at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin 8. It is a full-day conference bringing together judges, forensic accountants, barristers, intelligence professionals, and the CEO of the Corporate Enforcement Authority to provide practical, legally grounded guidance on conducting investigations. The conference carries 5 CPD hours and is open to professionals across all sectors.
Why investigation standards matter more than ever
The regulatory framework governing investigations in Ireland has tightened considerably in recent years. The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, which commenced on 1 January 2023, transposed the EU Whistleblowing Directive into Irish law. It expanded whistleblower protections to volunteers, shareholders, board members, and job applicants. It also requires all private sector employers with 50 or more employees to maintain formal reporting channels and follow-up procedures.
The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024 further strengthened the CEA’s enforcement powers. These legislative developments mean that more organisations face more investigations, conducted under greater scrutiny, with more severe consequences for getting it wrong.
So what are the legal requirements for conducting a workplace investigation in Ireland? At a minimum, investigators must follow fair procedures and natural justice — meaning the subject of an investigation has the right to be informed of allegations, to respond, and to have findings based on evidence rather than assumption. Failure to meet these standards regularly results in unfair dismissal findings at the WRC and, in more serious cases, judicial review in the High Court.
A poorly conducted investigation can unravel an otherwise sound decision. Flawed processes lead to overturned disciplinary actions, regulatory sanctions, reputational harm, and costly litigation. The conference addresses these risks directly, with sessions designed to give attendees the tools and frameworks to avoid common pitfalls.
What attendees will learn from each session
A judge’s perspective on investigation reports
The Hon. Bernard Barton S.C., who served as a Judge of the Irish High Court until 2021, opens the conference with a session on what judges require from investigation reports. This is not a theoretical overview. Mr Justice Barton will explain how courts assess whether an investigation was fair, what structural and procedural elements make a report stand up to legal challenge, and where he has seen investigations fall short. For anyone whose investigation findings may end up before a court or tribunal, this session provides the judicial lens that is often missing from internal training.
Forensic fact-finding in practice
Paul Jacobs, Partner in Forensic Accounting at Grant Thornton, will outline the methodologies forensic accountants use to uncover evidence and establish timelines. His session covers how professional investigators approach fact-finding — from document analysis and data extraction to interview strategy. This is particularly relevant for professionals dealing with financial irregularities, fraud allegations, or compliance breaches where the evidence trail is complex.
AI in investigations: opportunity and risk
How can artificial intelligence assist an investigation, and where does it create new problems? Tomás Keys B.L., a Barrister and CEDR Accredited Mediator, examines the use of AI tools in investigation work. As organisations increasingly use technology to review documents, analyse communications, and identify patterns, investigators need to understand both the capabilities and the limitations of these tools — including questions of admissibility, bias, and data protection.
Legal pitfalls when conducting investigations
Mairéad McKenna S.C., a practising Barrister, addresses the legal considerations that investigators must keep front of mind. Her session covers fair procedures, natural justice, evidence gathering, and the interaction between internal investigations and external regulatory processes. For professionals who conduct investigations but do not have a legal background, this session fills a critical knowledge gap.
Lessons from an experienced investigator
Dave Gilmore, VP of Friend MTS’s Intelligence team, brings a practitioner’s perspective. His session focuses on practical lessons learned over an extensive career conducting investigations across multiple sectors. Expect candid insights on what works, what does not, and how to handle the unpredictable situations that no textbook prepares you for.
How the Corporate Enforcement Authority runs regulatory investigations
Ian Drennan, CEO of the Corporate Enforcement Authority, closes the conference with a session on how the CEA conducts its own regulatory investigations. Given that the CEA secured 52 court orders and took 145 witness statements in 2024 — and its officers made seven arrests in the course of investigative or enforcement activity — this session offers a rare inside view of how Ireland’s company law enforcement agency operates. Understanding the CEA’s expectations around cooperation and compliance is valuable for any organisation that may find itself subject to regulatory investigation.
Who should attend
The conference is designed for professionals who conduct, commission, or oversee investigations. This includes in-house legal and compliance teams, HR directors managing disciplinary and grievance processes, risk and internal audit professionals, solicitors advising on investigation procedures, regulatory affairs officers, public sector managers in government departments and local authorities, and senior management responsible for acting on investigation findings.
How do you conduct a legally sound investigation? That question underpins every session on the agenda. Whether the investigation concerns a workplace complaint, a financial irregularity, a protected disclosure, or a regulatory matter, the principles of fair procedure, sound evidence gathering, and defensible reporting apply across the board. The conference is structured to give attendees frameworks they can apply immediately in their own organisations.
Practical details and registration
The Investigations Conference 2026 takes place on Wednesday 23 April at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8, from 9.00am to 4.00pm. Lunch is included.
The standard rate is €299 per person. A group booking rate of €259 is available for three or more attendees from the same organisation: use the discount code REG40 when registering.
The conference carries 5 CPD hours.
For further information, read more and register here or contact us.
Places are limited. If your organisation conducts, commissions, or oversees investigations of any kind, this is a rare opportunity to hear directly from a former High Court judge, the CEO of the Corporate Enforcement Authority, and leading forensic and legal practitioners in one room, in one day.
