February 2026 edition of Legal News.

Welcome to our monthly update, featuring a curated selection of articles published over the past month.

• Auto-Enrolment Alert: Minimum Contribution Standards for Exemption Now in Force
  New Ministerial Regulations have introduced minimum contribution standards for pension schemes, being used to exempt employees from enrolment in My Future Fund, which came into effect on 1 January 2026.
• “Smash and Grab” Adjudication Dismissed by High Court
  In Tenderbids Limited t/a Bastion v Electrical Waste Management Limited [2026] IEHC 5, the High Court rejected that “smash and grab” adjudication applies under the Construction Contracts Act 2013 and held that referral of a dispute to adjudication on this basis is invalid as it does not constitute a properly founded payment dispute.
• EU Court Clarifies Rules on Anonymous Environmental Requests
  On 15 January 2026, the Court of Justice issued judgment in C-129/24 Coillte Cuideachta Ghníomhaíochta Ainmnithe holding that under Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information, member states may require requesters to provide prior identification to ensure the proper functioning of procedures.
• Age Assurance: a Targeted Regulatory Trajectory Emerges
  The Global Online Safety Regulators Network published a coordinated statement entitled “Age Assurance & Online Safety Regulation” on 23 January 2026. While the statement creates no new legal obligations, it signals a clear regulatory trajectory: age assurance is viewed as a core, expected element of online safety governance.
• Arbitration vs Insolvency: Irish Courts Align with Sian Participation
  The Privy Council in Sian Participation Corp (In Liquidation) [2024] UKPC 16, confirmed that arbitration clauses do not prevent winding‑up petitions unless the debt is genuinely disputed. The Irish High Court has now adopted this approach, clarifying how arbitration agreements interact with Irish insolvency remedies.
• The Enhanced Games: Breaking Records and Ethical Boundaries
  The Enhanced Games aim to redefine elite sport by permitting performance-enhancing drugs, offering athletes unprecedented financial rewards for breaking world records, all while igniting a debate over ethics, safety, and the future of competition. We examine key legal considerations for the proposed competition.

In-Shorts

• Spring 2026 Government Legislation Programme: Industry & Sector Breakdown
• Medical Council Publishes Statement on Use of AI in Clinical Decision-Making
• Can Liquidators Contractually Limit Their Liability?

William Fry Spotlight

• Mary Robinson Leads Inspiring Green Team Network 2026 Launch at William Fry
  William Fry was honoured to welcome former President Mary Robinson to our Dublin office for the Green Team Network 2026 Launch Event on 26 January.
• My Business Life: Linda Morris, William Fry
  Linda Morris, manager of PeopleBridge by William Fry, was recently interviewed by Thinkbusiness.ie where she outlined the growing demand for agile, high‑quality legal and tax expertise in Ireland.