Firms criticised European Union regulations in life sciences and digital services during meetings with IDA boss Michael Lohan in the week before St Patrick’s DayMultinational firms pushed for Ireland to take a “leadership role” in arguing for “pro-enterprise” regulations in Europe against a backdrop of “anti-innovation” rules. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show firms criticised European Union regulations in life sciences and digital services during meetings with IDA boss Michael Lohan in the week before St Patrick’s Day. The EU regime for regulating life sciences was “anti-innovation and layered with administration burden”, his note said. While the companies welcomed the Government’s life sciences strategy, as set out in the Programme for Government, the firms also raised the “cumulative impact of recent employment regulations” in Ireland. She said that, “while much progress has been made, IDA Ireland recognises the need for continuous focus to maintain momentum” and to implement actions to accelerate infrastructure delivery.

Source: The Irish Times January 03, 2026 15:01 UTC