The Mediation Act 2017 came into operation on the 1st of January 2018. Under the new Act, all solicitors must advise their clients in a dispute of the advantages of mediation and how to access a mediator prior to issuing proceedings. This applies to all Court jurisdictions. For commercial disputes with a value less than €75,000, mediation may be considered uneconomical and cumbersome. However, that depends on the mediators’ fees, the cost of venue hire and the speed of appointment.
