European e-Justice Portal - Serving documents

NB! Council Regulation (EC) No 1393/2007 has been replaced by Regulation (EU) 2020/1784 of the European Parliament and of the Council as of 1 July 2022.

Notifications made under the new Regulation can be found here!

Article 2(1) – Transmitting agencies

From 15/04/2019 the transmitting agency in Ireland is the Combined Court Office, Castlebar, County Mayo.

Service of EU documents,
Courts Service Centralised Office,
Combined Court Office,
The Courthouse,
Castlebar,
Co. Mayo

Email: serviceofeudocuments@courts.ie

Any queries in relation to requests for service made prior to 15/04/2019 should be sent to the office from which the request was sent.

Article 2(2) – Receiving agencies

From 15/04/2019 the receiving agency in Ireland is the Combined Court Office, Castlebar, County Mayo.

Service of EU documents,
Courts Service Centralised Office,
Combined Court Office,
The Courthouse,
Castlebar,
Co. Mayo

Email: serviceofeudocuments@courts.ie.

Any queries in relation to requests for service made prior to 15/04/2019 should be sent to the office to which the request was sent.

Article 2(4)(c) – Means of receipt of documents

Means of receipt available: documents can be transmitted by post or by a service provider such as an express delivery service provider.

Communications for administrative reasons may also be effected by email.

Article 2(4)(d) – Languages that may be used for the completion of the standard form set out in Annex I

The standard form can be completed in Irish or English.

Article 3 – Central body

The Master,

The High Court,

Four Courts

Dublin 7

Ireland

Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday: 10.00 - 16.30

Communications in English or Irish may be effected by post. Communication by telephone to the Central Office of the High Court at (353-1) 888 66 99 is also possible.

Article 4 – Transmission of documents

Ireland accepts the application form (standard form) in Irish or English.

Articles 8(3) and 9(2) – Particular periods set by national law for serving documents

Provisions of this paragraph do not apply in Irish law

Article 10 – Certificate of service and copy of the document served

Ireland accepts the certificate form in Irish or English.

Article 11 – Costs of service

Where personal service is requested under Article 11(2), such service will be carried out by a law agency, private investigator or solicitor at a fee agreed between the parties which fee is normally in the region of €70 to €100.

Article 13 – Service by diplomatic or consular agents

Ireland does not oppose this.

Article 15 – Direct service

As an alternative to postal delivery, Article 15 of Regulation No. 1393/2007 allows a person to effect personal service through a solicitor or a summons server.

A solicitor can be found at the following link:

https://www.lawsociety.ie/Find-a-Solicitor/

Article 19 – Defendant not entering an appearance

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, a court in Ireland may give judgment even if no certificate of service or delivery has been received, if all the conditions set out in paragraph 2 have been fulfilled.

In relation to Article 19(4), it is for the court to satisfy itself that the application for relief has been filed within a reasonable time after the defendant had knowledge of the judgment.

Article 20 – Agreements or arrangements to which Member States are parties and which comply with the conditions in Article 20(2)

None

Last update: 12/12/2023

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