The Irish Professional Mediators' Organisation IPMO News

Why Mediation is Now the First Option

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:06:59 GMT

Why Mediation is now the first option

Opening address by Chair Dr Róisín O’Shea IPMO Conference April 16th 2026 at the Dublin Dispute Resolution Centre

The IPMO is but a toddler, 4 ½ years old, born in a post covid landscape, where on-line services became normative and the mediation sector had to quickly innovate and embrace new technologies; Our organisation wants to ensure that the profession evolves to meet the needs of the public, while improving competency through a framework of Apprenticeship, Supervision and Mentorship.

We are once again in a time of global disruption. Every day it seems there is something new to worry about; whether it is the break-down of international law, or disruption to fuel supplies, or AI changing forever the way we work, or another story in the media of man’s inhumanity to man. In speaking of the fading of the rules based international order in his address at Davos in January this year, Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada spoke of the beginning of a harsh reality in the world order, “…we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”

Conflict is human, but we are not powerless in the face of it. We have the capacity to find a new way forward, to adapt and transition out of the stressful space we stand in, on to a new path with solutions that are workable and fair. This is where mediators can help us.

In Ireland we boldly stepped into the new frontier of 21st Century dispute resolution with the enactment of the Mediation Act 2017, leading the way on the world stage with a statutory framework for the service of mediation. This progressive Act promotes the early use of mediation to resolve all civil disputes, and even where litigation has already started the Act enables the parties to step away from the Courts to try mediation, right up until a final determination is made by a Judge. Crucially we have the statutory basis for confidentiality and enforceability of mediation settlements. It was an absolute pleasure to co-author a paper on the enforcement of mediation settlements with Michael Peart, Former Court of Appeal Judge and barrister Stephen O’Herlihy, which is in the current issue of the Irish Journal of Family Law - addressing a misconception that mediated agreements cannot be legally binding – which is not the case.

Judges have long advocated for the use of mediation – however, it is the higher courts that have the power to truly bring about change, and we are honoured to have the Hon Mr Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court as our conference keynote speaker (See Irish Times article about his keynote speech) and the Hon Ms Justice Nuala Jackson as a panellist.

The Honourable Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court

The tipping point and inspiration for this conference came in the July 2025 High Court case of V Media Doo & Anor v Techads Media Limited [2025] IEHC 430 where Justice Michael Twomey, said that the aim of the Oireachtas under section 14 of the Mediation Act 2017, is “

…to ensure that litigation is the last resort, rather than a first resort, in order to save prospective litigants tens/hundreds of thousands of euros in legal costs and the many years of lost time and effort.”

This case sets an important benchmark for any Court hearing any civil dispute, (including separations or divorce), that a hearing should only commence where the Judge is satisfied the plaintiffs have been comprehensively advised on mediating rather than litigating their dispute. The Judge noted the importance the Act places on plaintiffs being advised on the benefits of mediation, “…before the client ends up on what might be termed the merry-go-round of litigation – one that is all too easy to get on, but can be difficult to get off.”

Dr Roisin O'Shea, IPMO Chair

What we need now is for assistance from Government to get us over the final hurdle to establish the Mediation Council of Ireland – we, the stakeholders of the Mediation Council Shadow group are ready and we have unanimously agreed that we should adopt the European Code of Conduct for mediators as the national code of conduct, to be approved by the Minister under section 9 – all that is needed now is sufficient funding, which we have estimated as circa € 500,000 per year (a full cost model with 4 staff and some level of function delegation) to operate the Council so that it can begin its work of promoting public awareness and providing information on the availability and operation of mediation in the State.

All of us in this room know that mediation can resolve the majority of civil disputes faster, at less cost, confidentially, and often the agreement can be more creative than the Courts can order.

Dr I. Stephanie Boyce CBE

I also want to acknowledge two extraordinary women who have inspired and empowered me over the last two decades to take the path of advocacy and research to drive on the awareness and uptake of mediation; the Hon Ms Justice Sara Phelan and the Hon. Ms Justice Nuala Jackson. I am also delighted to see some special guests here today, long-time advocates of mediation; Michael O’Connor SC representing the ADR Committee of the Bar of Ireland and Keith Kelliher representing the Chartered Institute of arbitrators. It is important to recognise the work that Keith and also Liam Guidera representing the Law Society of Ireland have done over the years to advance the discussions to establish the Mediation Council of Ireland. We three have been at the table since the very first stakeholder meeting in late 2018.

The Mediation Act 2018 has been in place for eight years. I believe we are all finally ready for this cultural shift, where mediation becomes the very first resort in dispute resolution.

L-R: Ercus Stewart SC, Michael O'Connor SC, Justice David Barniville, Dr. I Stephanie Boyce CBE, Shane Dempsey, Justice Sara Phelan, Dr Roisin O'Shea, Peter O'Malley

Ken Cloke ‘In Conversation With ‘ Shane Dempsey

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:11:48 GMT

We were honoured to have internationally-renowned mediator Ken Cloke as our guest this week in our ‘In Conversation With’ series available on the IPMO YouTube channel (this interview not available yet!)

Ken is one of the world’s foremost experts on mediation with over 4 decades of experience in conflict resolution.

Ken began his academic journey at the University of California, Berkeley where he became deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He worked as an administrative law judge for the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board and a judge Pro Tem for the Superior Court of Los Angeles. He has a Juris Doctorate, a PhD in history and an LLM and has gone on to lecture in several law schools including Harvard and Pepperdine University. In the 80s, his career shifted to mediation, he set up the centre for dispute resolution in Santa Monica, California, and over the last 4 decades has established himself as a leader in the field of conflict resolution, mediating thousands of disputes and authoring numerous influential books on the subject, including Mediating Dangerously (2001), The Crossroads of Conflict (2006) The Dance of Opposites (2013), His most recent major work, described as his "magnum opus," is The Magic in Mediation: A Search for Symmetries, Metaphors and Scale-Free Practices (2023). In 2006, he co-founded Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) and served as its first president, aiming to build local skills for peace and address systemic conflicts worldwide.

Leading the conversation with Ken was Shane Dempsey, Partner in Arc Mediation and Deputy Chair of the IPMO, with 15 years of experience as a mediator and many hundreds of cases completed to date. Ken and Shane talked about the “magic in mediation” , the scalability of “higher order skills”, omni-partiality, AI, and delved into a shared interest in physics, mathematics and the natural world.

A truly fascinating and engaging conversation about meaning, metaphor & mediation.

Dr O’Shea Welcomes the launch by the Minister of Child Maintenance Guidelines today

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:58:16 GMT

Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation and member of the Child Maintenance Group 2020-2022, welcomes the launch of the Child Maintenance Guidelines by Minister Jim O’Callaghan today at the Family Justice Development Forum hosted by the Minister in Dublin; a recommendation of the Child Maintenance Group.

Attending at the Forum, Dr O’Shea congratulated the Minister and his Department on launching the much needed child maintenance guidelines;

“Our courts currently operate without any system of guidelines in the determination of child maintenance, dealing with each matter on a case by case basis. It would be of significant assistance to parents and the courts to have a clear indication of the amount of child maintenance payable. The case is well made internationally in terms of diverting people away from the courts to agree on their own family based arrangement with the assistance of mediators, without State intervention, or where private agreements cannot be reached child maintenance guidelines can be administered by the courts which will bring consistency of outcome and certainty to those who need child maintenance and those who pay child maintenance.

In 2019 my colleague Shane Dempsey (IPMO Treasurer) and I were invited to meet with then Minister Regina Doherty to discuss a submission we made on establishing child maintenance guidelines in Ireland, providing an analysis of the operation of such guidelines in Canada. The Minister subsequently appointed me to the Child Maintenance Group 2020-2022 chaired by Judge Catherine Murphy, and in the final Report from that Group a majority recommended that a formula to calculate child maintenance be developed."

In launching the Child Maintenance Guidelines today the Minister is also furthering a recommendation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice & Equality 2019; that parties should be advised that from the outset that they would try and reach their own agreement and not persist with the adversarial process to avoid exposure to stress, cost, lost time and risk. The Minister emphasised the importance of promoting the use of mediation and noted that this is a guiding principle of the Family Courts Act 2024.

Without maintenance guidelines the outcome in Court is uncertain and therefore may be worth pursuing where a litigant believes a Court would order more or a litigant believes the Court would order less. With child maintenance guidelines we are likely to follow the significant progress made in Northern Ireland where the operation of a child support maintenance framework, including a calculator, has deterred litigation, such that child maintenance is rarely litigated.

Dr O'Shea added:

"With the assistance of mediators, parents can now use the Child Maintenance Guidelines released today and the soon to be released On-line Child Maintenance Calculator to reach private agreement. This is a game changer for families in Ireland and the members of the IPMO look forward to assisting families to quickly reach financial arrangements in relation to their children.”

Photo Left to Right: Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan T.D and Dr Róisín O’Shea Chair of the IPMO

Mediating Workplace Disputes: The launch of an information roadshow for HR organised by the IPMO in collaboration with Sustainable HRM Skillnet

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:46:04 GMT

Our first event yesterday (Dec 10th), sponsored by PTSB at their Dublin Head office, and co-ordinated by Sustainable HRM Skillnet, was a great success. We had a full house to hear from our panel of experts on Workplace Mediation: early intervention where informal steps do not resolve the dispute; how to appoint a mediator; what to expect of mediation and how the Mediation Act 2017 applies.

Fredericka Sheppard - Voltedge Consulting & IPMO Board Member

Fredericka Sheppard, an industry expert and Chair of the IPMO Workplace Committee, kicked off the event with an over-view of workplace mediation and key points for HR to consider. The panel discussion was moderated by Ercus Stewart SC Member of the Inner Bar and Board member of the IPMO with input from Dr Róisín O’Shea Chair of the IPMO, and experienced workplace mediator, Ronan Murray Senior Employee Relations & Industrial Relations Manager PTSB, and Karen Killalea Partner and Head of Employment Maples Group Ireland.

Thanks to Sara Mullally, Sustainable HRM Skillnet for making this happen and to PTSB for hosting the event. Also in attendance were IPMO Board members Shane Dempsey (Deputy Chair), Bill Holohan SC and Lisa Lingwood.

The IPMO have developed a practical guide for HR on the use of mediation for workplace disputes which will be provided to all attendees. We are looking forward to organising more events for HR in 2026 where there will be a further opportunity to hear from experts in the field.

IPMO Board members with (far left) Ronan Murray - Head of Employee Relations, PTSB - and (far right) Karen Killalea - Partner, Maples Group.

Litigation must be the last resort says the High Court

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:12:45 GMT

by Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the IPMO

For the first time the High Court has provided a detailed analysis of the benefits of mediation and the intentions of the Oireachtas to promote mediation as the first forum for dispute resolution. The Court has laid bare the merry-go-round and prohibitive costs for litigants in the High Court, and the financial incentive for the recipients of those fees - the lawyers.

In the July 2025 case of V Media Doo & Anor v Techads Media Limited [2025] IEHC 430 Justice Michael Twomey, said that the aim of the Oireachtas under section 14 of the Mediation Act 2017, is “…to ensure that litigation is the last resort, rather than a first resort, in order to save prospective litigants tens/hundreds of thousands of euros in legal costs and the many years of lost time and effort.”

Justice Twomey examined a solicitors obligations set out in section 14 of the 2017 Act. A solicitor must provide advice to their client about using mediation to try and resolve the dispute; must provide their client with information about mediation services, including providing the names and addresses of mediators; and must set out the advantages of resolving the dispute through mediation rather than litigating the matter. In his judgment Justice Twomey then outlined that evidence must then be provided to the Court that this has happened, which is done by way of a statutory declaration (Mediation Declaration) completed by the solicitor which must accompany the proceedings when filed. The judge noted that the obligations on a solicitor set out in section 14 are not a “box ticking exercise” for the Court or for solicitors.

If a solicitor has not done this, i.e. submitted the Mediation Declaration, then the Court must refuse to hear the case and is obliged to adjourn proceedings to enable advice on mediation to be provided as the law requires.

Justice Twomey noted that the aim of the Oireachtas, under section 14, is to ensure that litigation is the last resort, not the first step in trying to resolve a dispute; he noted the clear desire of the Oireachtas to save parties huge amounts of time and huge sums in legal costs and noted the considerable public interest in saving court time. He also emphasized the duty placed on all courts by section 14 of the Act to ensure that a plaintiff has received advice about using mediation: “This therefore puts an onus on all courts, to ensure that a plaintiff has been comprehensively advised to consider mediation instead of litigating, before hearing a case”.

This case sets an important benchmark for any Court hearing any civil dispute, which would include separations or divorce; that a hearing should only commence where the Judge is satisfied that the plaintiffs have been comprehensively advised on mediating rather than litigating their dispute. The Judge noted the importance the Act places on plaintiffs being advised on the benefits of mediation, “…before the client ends up on what might be termed the merry-go-round of litigation – one that is all too easy to get on, but can be difficult to get off.”

In referring to the benefits of using mediation, Justice Twomey noted that those benefits must include the “very considerable financial benefits of mediating, rather than litigating…”. The judge noted that the costs of a successful mediation were likely to be a fraction of the legal fees generated and likely to take a matter of weeks rather than in the region of 4 years to litigate. Interestingly, the Judge contrasted the prohibitive cost of legal fees for litigants in the High Court versus the financial incentive for the recipient of those fees – the lawyers.

In this case the proceedings had been issued without the accompanying Mediation Declaration, in direct contravention of the law. The judge held that an attempt by the solicitor to remedy the breach by providing a sworn Mediation Declaration later that same day, could not retrospectively remedy the breach of the 2017 Act.

The importance of this judgment cannot be understated for the development of mediation in Ireland. Justice Twomey has provided absolute clarity on not only the intentions of the Oireachtas to ensure that mediation is the first dispute resolution option for civil disputes but also outlined the benefits of mediation versus the reality of litigation:

1. Mediation offers a crucial opportunity for ‘reality checking’ of a plaintiff’s claim; an independent assessment by an objective mediator, before a court gets to do so.

2. A successful mediation will take a matter of weeks, whereas litigating may take years.

3. The costs of mediation are likely to be a fraction of litigation costs.

4. Once a plaintiff gets on the merry-go-round of litigation it is difficult to get off.

5. The legal costs for litigants in the High Court are prohibitive – but are an incentive for the lawyers who get those fees.

In the case of V Media Doo & Anor v Techads Media Limited, the plaintiff’s claim was for circa $2.5 million and the Defendant’s counter-claim was for circa $1.8 million, listed for an 8 day hearing, with costs estimated as likely to exceed €1 million. The Judge stated that this therefore was a case that would have benefited from mediation and “reality checking”, noting that the Court ultimately found that neither the plaintiff nor the Defendant were entitled to any award, and as a result the only winners in this case were the lawyers.

Read the full judgment here:

https://ww2.courts.ie/view/Judgments/67a63cbc-dc93-466a-8c8f-88834c5f5bd4/c0e565e5-5c18-4afd-a41f-c9be0a419a9f/2025_IEHC_430.pdf/pdf

The Annual Conference ‘Mediation and the Civil Justice System’ April 10th 2025

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 10:34:42 GMT

More and more people are using mediation to resolve all kinds of civil disputes and our annual conference focused on the connection between mediation and the courts as provided in the Mediation Act 2017.

Speaking at the IPMO Conference on Mediation and the Civil Justice system today (10^th April 2025), Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the IPMO, spoke of the significant shift in Ireland to use mediation as a means of resolving most civil disputes, supported by Government policy and the legal framework of the Mediation Act 2017.

She said that more and more people are using mediation to resolve all kinds of civil disputes including divorce, parenting disputes, a falling out between business partners or directors, a contract dispute, a workplace dispute, disputes over a will, personal injury or medical negligence claims.

Dr O’Shea said that the passing of the Mediation Act 2017 represented an important turning point for the Irish civil justice system, supporting the development of a modern mediation practice. “Mediation takes place in the context of a civil justice system, and this conference seeks to examine the interactions between these two systems, their points of intersection, the responsibilities of the dispute resolution professionals and their disparate interests and concerns.”

Also speaking at the conference the newly appointed High Court judge, the Hon. Ms Justice Sara Phelan, who over the years has been a passionate advocate of mediation summed up the power of mediation and the benefits of close cooperation between mediators and lawyers to assist disputing parties.

“The magic of mediation is that by allowing parties take ownership of their dispute and come up with solutions that best suit them, it brings a finality to disputes, preserves relationships, and allows parties move on with their lives in a way that is not always possible with litigation. But mediation and litigation are not mutually exclusive and by mediators and lawyers understanding that theirs is a symbiotic relationship, the disputing parties benefit, and optimum dispute resolution is the outcome.” she said.

Ms. Justice Sara Phelan, speaking to IPMO conference attendees

Another speaker, Michael Peart, former Court of Appeal judge and now mediator posed the question, “Can mediation settlements be legally binding”?, Absolutely he said. He went on to clarify that a mediation settlement is legally binding where the parties decide it is to be enforceable between them in accordance with section 11 (1)(b) of the Mediation Act 2017 and the formalities of contract law have been complied with, including having the benefit of legal advice.

Other speakers at the IPMO Conference were:

Dr Yaser Alashqar, Independent College, bringing his significant experience in the field as an academic;
Suzanne Walsh BL highlighting the support for mediation in the new Family Courts Act 2024; Dr Gerry McMahon, a former WRC adjudicator, brings 35 years of practical experience in Human Resources.
UK guest speaker Geoffrey Milton brings his insight from both sides of the table in workplace disputes, and from his work on the workplace mediation working group of the Civil Mediation Council England and Wales;
Aoife Farrelly BL, ADR Committee Bar of Ireland
Brian McMullin, ADR Committee Law Society of Ireland bring the perspective of the legal profession.
Shane Dempsey, Treasurer of the IPMO, and former IT researcher spoke about the use of AI in Mediation

Panellists: (l-r; Suzanne Walsh BL, former-Justice Michael Peart, Ms. Justice Sara Phelan, Dr Roisin O'Shea, Brian McMullin, Dr Yaser Alashqar)

Dr O’Shea said; “We were honoured to have such an incredible line-up of speakers and panelists helping us to explore the challenges ahead as we continue to develop modern mediation practice, working with other professionals including lawyers, accountants, tax advisers and other experts, to ensure that parties in dispute have the best support possible.

Conflict is inevitable, but no-one wants to remain in conflict. We want solutions as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, and mediation is the answer. It is a practical, accessible, cost-effective and human-centred alternative to going to Court."

She also spoke about the speed at which mediation can be accessed and the benefits:

“You can start mediation right now, even if litigation has already started. The IPMO has mediators across the country ready and willing to assist www.theipmo.ie They provide the certainty of a legally binding agreement if that is what you need. We know that mediation works as the over-whelming majority of disputes reach an agreement, and that agreement can be legally binding. If litigation has already started your mediated agreement can be brought to Court to be turned into Court orders, or where you want a divorce your mediated agreement can be the basis for the court orders for the decree of divorce.”

IPMO Board & Justice Sara Phelan (l-r; Shane Dempsey, Ercus Stewart SC, Dr Roisin O'Shea, Ms. Justice Sara Phelan, Fredericka Sheppard, Gareth Leech, Brian Sheridan)

Celebrating International Mediation Awareness Week 2024 with students at UCC School of Law

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:24:03 GMT

Celebrating International Mediation Awareness Week 2024 with students at UCC School of Law

Mary Aldridge Connors Chair of the IPMO Community Mediation Committee led out on a presentation on mediation to students at UCC School of Law, celebrating International Mediation Awareness Week on along with committee member Catriona Redmond; assisted by Lisa Lingwood and IPMO Board members Bill Holohan SC and Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the IPMO

Chair of the IPMO attends CIarb Ireland branch Annual Dinner 2024

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:34:25 GMT

Chair of the IPMO attends CIarb Ireland branch Annual Dinner 2024

Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation attended the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ireland branch) Annual Dinner as a guest of CIarb Chair Dermot Durack. Dr O’Shea commented, “it was a fantastic opportunity to hear views on the broad church of ADR. Proponents of Arb-Med v Med Arb, models of mediation, arbitration and the curious custom and practice world of conciliation. We are looking forward to working together as two organisations with ADR front and centre to resolve disputes”.

Are Mediated Settlements Legally Binding?

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:34:06 GMT

Article by Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation

Are mediated settlements legally binding? “Absolutely” says Michael Peart, former judge at the Court of Appeal and now mediator.

In his Linkedin Post of September 16th 2024 Michael goes on to say:

“Once both parties have agreed the terms of settlement and have signed the agreement, it is legally binding and enforceable as with any other contract.”

It is hugely beneficial to both the public and mediators to have the law stated so clearly by someone of Michael’s standing in the legal community. Those who practise mediation know that section 11 of the Mediation Act enables the parties to a mediation to decide if they want their mediated agreement to be legally binding between them; whether it is a Separation Agreement, an agreement for a Judicial Separation or Divorce, or a resolution (mediation settlement) of any other civil dispute, reached with the assistance of a mediator. Where it is expressed to be legally binding that agreement can be brought to Court to be enforced or to be “Ruled” ie the Court can be asked to turn the mediated agreement into court orders.

A former solicitor, Michael served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal from 2014 to 2019 and was a Judge of the High Court from 2002 to 2014. He was a Guest speaker at the IPMO’s annual conference on March 7th 2024 at the Dublin Dispute Resolution Centre, where he spoke about the transition from the bench to practising as a mediator, a forum where he now helps parties in a dispute to find common ground, identify their interests and explore settlement options that are mutually acceptable; a forum where parties in dispute can avoid the stress and additional cost of litigation. He also spoke about raising awareness generally about the potential of section 16 of the Mediation Act 2017 and the fact that mediation remains viable right up to the point of a final determination. Michael noted that the IPMO is an outstanding example of an evangelical organisation, supporting the development of mediation as a profession.

Mediation - A Real Option (Press Release from IPMO 2024 Conference)

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 10:40:28 GMT

Mediation: a real option across the island of Ireland

The Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation Annual Conference

A powerful presentation by charismatic keynote speaker the Hon Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger set the tone for an exciting second annual conference for the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation, held at the Dublin Dispute Resolution Centre on March 7th. While Judge Bolger is a sitting High Court judge, and an accredited mediator, it was in her capacity as President of the Irish branch of GEMME that she spoke to attendees about the importance of mediation as a dispute resolution option.

GEMME is a European-wide organisation of Judges from Member States and the EFTA, committed to promoting mediation and other alternative methods to resolve disputes. Judge Bolger spoke about section 16 of the Mediation Act 2017, where a party or the court of its own volition can invite the parties to consider mediation; and section 15 of the Courts and Civil Liability Act 2004 (as amended) where the Court can direct the parties to attend mediation. In acknowledging the difficulties in raising the public’s awareness of mediation as an option she asked the mediators attending to think about what judges can do to assist mediation practice, where appropriate.

Former Judge of the Court of Appeal, now mediator, Michael Peart, followed as a guest speaker. He spoke about the transition from the bench to practising as a mediator, a forum where he now helps parties in a dispute to find common ground, identify their interests and explore settlement options that are mutually acceptable; a forum where parties in dispute can avoid the stress and additional cost of litigation. He also spoke about raising awareness generally about the potential of section 16 of the Mediation Act 2017 and the fact that mediation remains viable right up to the point of a final determination. He noted that the IPMO is an outstanding example of an evangelical organisation, supporting the development of mediation as a profession.

Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the IPMO moderated a lively discussion between the two guest speakers, contrasting the role of a judge and the forum of litigation to the facilitative role of a mediator within mediation; a forum where people can tell their stories and feel heard, while being assisted to explore creative solutions to resolve a dispute that may not be possible within the constraints of a legal process.

The shift to the use of on-line platforms and new technologies post the pandemic was evidenced by ease at which the next guest speaker presented from Australia via Zoom, with a camera providing the speaker with a view of the room.

Prof David Hodson OBE, solicitor, mediator, arbitrator and part-time family judge London, delivered an engaging presentation on the growing need of international families to deal with the break-down of marriage through mediation, the alternative being long, expensive and highly adversarial litigation and complex conflicts of law. He announced an initiative which commenced in late 2022, the International Family Mediation Project, where a group of international experts in the field of mediation led by David Hodson and Dr O’Shea, have volunteered to develop supports for mediators globally to create a form of international family mediation, which it is hoped will ultimately lead to an International Family Mediation Convention.

The conference ended with an interactive family mediation case study led by Shane Dempsey, Deputy Chair. He provided members with a fascinating snapshot of the issues that can arise on the break-down of a marriage, with attendee participation assisted by technology (Mentimeter) and Q&A.

In speaking to the achievements of the IPMO in its short life to date, Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair, commented, “ we are but a toddler, just over two years old and already 70 members strong. We have achieved so much in such a short time as outlined in the presentations by our committees today. On the invitation of the Department of Justice we are participating in the Family Justice Forum chaired by the Minister; we participated in the Department’s Statement of Strategy consultation; and we continue to engage in the consultations to establish the Mediation Council of Ireland. Our members come from 28 different professional backgrounds, and with a clear apprenticeship pathway of mentorship and supervision we are confident that our members will consistently provide a competent mediation service to the public, whatever the subject matter of the dispute may be.

We are pleased to announce that our members resoundingly voted today to amend our Constitution to be an all-island mediation membership body and our key focus is on raising awareness of what you can do in mediation, how quickly you can access the service and how cost effective that service is.

Mediation as a professional service will steadily grow assisting the people across the island of Ireland to self-determine workable solutions with the expert help of our members. We recognise that we have only begun the journey to raise awareness of mediation, however, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and we hope that the day is not too far off when the people of Ireland see mediation as the preferred first step in the process to resolve any civil or commercial dispute.”

All enquiries to info@theipmo.ie www.theipmo.ie

Family Law Update

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 11:04:46 GMT

This is a very interesting divorce case that family mediators should consider when drafting mediation settlements for separation or divorce.

This was an appeal to the High Court as the Circuit Court had refused to grant the decree of divorce where the parties continued to live together in the same house. Mr Justice Jordan said a couple can be considered as living apart while under the same roof where they are not in an intimate and committed relationship; and that there is nothing in legislation to require parties seeking a divorce to establish they will live in separate dwellings afterwards.

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2024/01/17/high-court-grants-divorce-to-former-couple-who-continue-to-live-in-same-house/

Member Feature - Ercus Stewart SC

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 11:31:41 GMT

Ercus Stewart, expert mediator and arbitrator

To help you to get to know more about our expert mediators we are running a Member Feature news item where we provide background information about a member.

Ercus Stewart is a Senior Counsel (Barrister) since 1982 and is a member of the Bars of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales, and Australia (New South Wales). In 2021 he became a Board member of the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation CLG, ‘IPMO’, and is Chair of the IPMO Civil & Commercial Committee.

He has been actively involved in alternative dispute resolution, both mediation and arbitration, for most of his professional career spanning almost 5 decades. He is an experienced mediator and arbitrator and brings extensive legal knowledge and expertise to his work as a mediator when dealing with Commercial and Civil disputes, including contract disputes, employment law and workplace disputes, and national and international commercial disputes, and is fluent in French.

He is a Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and was chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Irish Branch c 1990/91.

Ercus has served as an Arbitrator in many international, and domestic, institutes – including, Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne (CAS), ICC, Paris; IDRI, Nigeria. He is an Adjunct Professor of University College Dublin and an authority on arbitration law, lecturing on arbitration law for the Honourable Society of King’s Inns, DIT, UCD, TCD, and for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London, and IDRI.

Ercus has also authored and co-authored several books over the years including: International Bar Association – Labour Law and Contracts of Employment (international); Arbitration Commentary and Sources, FirstLaw (2003) and Compensation on Dismissal FirstLaw (2007). He is on the editorial board of the Commercial Law Practitioner, Irish Law Reports monthly, the Irish Employment law Journal and the Irish Employment Law Reports.

Ercus is a Certified member of the IPMO which is the highest level of membership within the organisation denoting extensive experience and skill-sets as a mediator.

Contact: estewart@lawlibrary.ie Mobile 087 2550979.

Reviews of 2 Books by Tony Whatling

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 12:52:37 GMT

The IPMO had the great pleasure of interviewing renowned mediation trainer & author Tony Whatling for International Mediation Awareness Week. A link to the interview on YouTube is available here.

IPMO members have also reviewed 2 of Tony's books for practicing mediators.

Mediation and Dispute Resolution, Contemporary Issues and Developments, AND
Mediation Skills & Strategies - A Practical Guide.

Mediation and Dispute Resolution, Contemporary Issues and Developments, Tony Whatling (2021), Jessica Kingsley Publishers London, ISBN 978 178775115 6

This is not the first book on mediation written and published by Tony Whatling. Following a career in social work, Whatling engaged in an extremely successful career in mediation and mediation training, an area in which he continues to excel. In 2012 he published "Mediation Skills & Strategies – A practical guide". Writing as a lawyer, I can acknowledge that as a nonlawyer, Whatling is able to give an excellent and objective overview of mediation and the role of various professionals entering into the world of mediation practice, (lawyers in particular) and more particularly the adjustment challenges faced by them.

Whatling references John Haynes, a renowned US ADR practitioner who, in Whatling's words "cautioned that, when the going gets tough for us as novice mediators, what we tend to do is slip into the more familiar activities of our previous professional role". Lawyers for example, Whatling says "may start giving some legal information, or, worse still, some legal advice". Whatling repeatedly warns against mediators defaulting to their primary profession and training in the course of providing mediation services and as a lawyer who learned the hard way, that when entering into the world of mediation that lawyers need to learn how to lobotomise their lawyer brain, and only utilise their mediator brain, I wholeheartedly agree.

The theoretical issues explored by Whatling in his 2012 publication are expanded on in this work in a very practical way. While his first book focused on the more theoretical issues such as the development of mediation theory, skills and strategies, this latest work focuses on more practical issues such as the process of becoming a mediator, mediator supervision, bias, self-awareness (gender and cultural awareness and sensitivity), how people think (as I tend to express it "What makes people tick and what makes people thick?"). Whatling identifies biases that any good mediator should be conscious of and the need for intellectual humility. In an era in Ireland when we are becoming more multicultural, this book is valuable for what has to say on the subject alone.

He goes on to examine and explain the role of emotion, the potential for the use of apologies in reconciliation, explores process options for practitioners, mediation of high conflict disputes, and the extent to which mediators incorporate mediation into resolving conflicts in their personal lives. Whatling emphasises the skill of "active listening" explaining exactly what this means and why it is so important in order to identify the deeper feelings which motivate people, which are not always easily discernible, and which underlies conflict. The importance of being able to understand and analyse body language, constituting 83% of all communication, is also explored.

Many of the topics explored are illustrated by very practical case examples, drawn from his experiences. For example, in relation to lessons learned in training Whatling states that he "tended to be more impressed with those who also provided evidence of what they regarded as their failures, especially when commenting on what they had learned from such unsatisfactory outcomes. As a trainer, assessor and PPC, a question I would frequently ask the trainee was what were the most important things they learned from the worst cases they had." Unless lawyers are willing to learn from such mistakes, they run the risk of becoming "poorly trained, or untrained mediators".

Whatling simply but brilliantly addresses such problems and the issues which concern mediators in practice. Each chapter then proceeds to deliver a short masterclass. At less than the cost of a meal for two, it presents a cornucopia, with food for thought for months on end.

The book looks deceptively short at only slightly over 200 pages, but each chapter is a treasure trove in itself. Even reading the book for this review took me quite some time, as every chapter is extremely thought-provoking, prompting self-analysis and reflective assessment/analysis of one's practice as a mediator. Right up to date, it even includes a chapter on "The Coronavirus Pandemic and its Potential Effects of the Behaviour of People in Dispute."

My initial reaction while reading this book was that this is a book for mediators who are on the road for some time, which they could use as a toolset to reassess, rebuild, consolidate and improve their mediation practice, but on reflection, it became clear to me that potential converts to the one true church of mediation could do well to study this book, with care and that there is much to be learned from it.

Definitely a good Christmas present/stocking filler for the mediator (or potential mediator) in your life.

Bill Holohan SC

Solicitor & Senior Counsel.

Member Law Society of Ireland ADR Committee

Member Civil & Commercial Committee of the Irish Professional Mediators' Organisation.

Review of Mediation Skills & Strategies - A Practical Guide, Tony Whatling (2012), Jessica Kingsley Publishers London, ISBN 978- 1849052993

I have been a practicing mediator for about 14 years with hundreds of settlements concluded and many students trained / supervised. My colleagues & I have recommended this book to trainee commercial and family mediators since we first became aware of it in 2013. Indeed, this book and Christopher Moore's The Mediation Process are the books I feel are essential for any practicing mediator to have read. Books about the practice of mediation or legal aspects of mediation in different jurisdictions are also useful, but these 2 books help you understand the theoretical context for mediation and its implementation in a way that few others achieve.

Many mediation books are consumed with theoretical frameworks for understanding conflict, some rehashes of the ideas of Spillman, C Wright Mills, Friedrich Glasl, Christopher Moore and others. The author may have their own twists or insights which can prove helpful for the budding mediator. I have found over the years that trainee mediators find such content intriguing but often lack the language to put these skills into action. They know roughly the types of questions they should be asking, or that they should be reframing an assertion by a disputant, but they are uncertain as to how to do any of that. It is also more challenging to deliver such interjections in the heat of an emotionally-charged mediation. Some prior practice and contemplation is necessary.

That's where Tony Whatling's great book comes in. It is highly readable, to the point, and provides examples of interventions mediators can make in realistic conflict scenarios. The book is distinguished by clarity of thought & language, which helps trainee mediators think about resolution strategies, formulate questions and responses.

As part of reflective practice, I would often recommend fledgling mediators analyse their own interactions with clients versus Whatling's suggestions to understand what they might have done better. It's a technique that has worked for many trainees in the past and a testament to the value of this modestly sized but value-filled book.

Whatling's book also gives experienced mediators fresh ideas when they may feel drained or stymied by their efforts to resolve a conflict. The book impresses by its grounding in extensive real-world practice experience, and a commitment to advancing mediation training. Whatling introduces the oft-overlooked topics of cultural and gender sensitive mediation, and also managing high conflict disputes, their emotional context, and dealing with negative strategies such as dirty tricks & stroke play. So much covered in one accessible book.

This is a book I re-read and refer to regularly, and it has helped my colleagues and I greatly over the years. Thank you Tony!

Shane Dempsey

Partner, ARC Mediation

Treasurer of the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation CLG

Chair of IPMO attends CIArb Ireland branch Annual Dinner

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 12:36:19 GMT

Dr Róisín O’Shea, Chair of the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation was delighted to attend at the Annual Dinner of the Ireland branch of CIArb on November 3rd as the guest of Peter O’Malley, Chair of the Irish Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Peter has a keen interest in arbitration and mediation, and is a member of IPMO's Civil & Commercial committee.

The Guest of Honour at the event was Bertie Ahern, Former Taoiseach, who spoke on the impact of the Good Friday Agreement and the importance of using mediation to resolve conflict. He noted that the Mediation Act 2017 provided for the establishment of the Mediation Council of Ireland and questioned the delay in establishing that Council.

The Council is intended to promote public awareness of mediation, such that there is a greater use of mediation for civil disputes, in line with public policy and as set out in the framework of the Act.

Commenting on Mr Ahern’s querying of the delay in establishing the Mediation Council, Dr O’Shea said,

“ The IPMO is keen to progress the establishment of that Council and with the assistance of the Department of Justice is working with the other prospective nominees to make that happen. As an organisation promoting the profession of mediation, we welcome the Department’s support, and we look forward to the day when mediation is considered the first and foremost forum to resolve any amenable dispute”.

Also in attendance at the event were IPMO Board and Committee members including Shane Dempsey (Treasurer), Ercus Stewart SC (Board Member), and Bill Holohan SC (Member of our Civil & Commercial Committee).

Justice Twomey: The State should consider mediation in every dispute it is involved in

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 11:15:08 GMT

By Bill Holohan Mediator, Solicitor & Senior Counsel. Member of Civil & Commercial Committee of the IPMO

Mr. Justice Twomey delivered judgement on 10 February, 2023 in the case of Sere Holdings Ltd v Health Service Executive [2023] IEHC 63 and said that the State should, at least, consider mediation in every dispute in which it is involved. He further concluded that litigation should be the last resort for the resolution of disputes in all cases and particularly in disputes involving State agencies.

The Court set out the following reasons in reaching these conclusions. It noted that:

court hearings should be a last resort, for the simple reason that litigation is such an expensive way to resolve any dispute;
it is the taxpayer who will have to pay the legal costs if a State agency loses and even, in some cases, if the State agency wins;
High Court costs paid by the taxpayer, in the tens/hundreds of thousands of euro, will in many cases not be ‘proportional’ to the value or importance of the dispute;
if State agencies resolved their disputes without litigation, it would mean that scarce court resources would be available for other citizens of the State to have access to justice; and
a State agency does not have the financial incentive that most other litigants have to consider mediation. For individual and corporate litigants, the financial consequences of having to pay High Court costs are usually very much to the fore of their minds, since they will feel the effect in their pocket.

The Judge, at paragraph 82, also noted the approach in Australia that obliges a State agency to endeavour “to avoid, prevent and limit the scope of legal proceedings wherever possible, including by giving consideration in all cases to alternative dispute resolution processes where appropriate”.

IPMO invited to host parallel session at the Wheel Summit at Croke Park

Thu, 25 May 2023 21:50:49 GMT

Given that IPMO is only 20 months old we were thrilled to be asked by The Wheel to host a parallel session at their Summit event at Croke Park this week.

IPMO was born in a post-Covid world where mediators like everyone else had to quickly adapt to new technologies and new ways to offer mediation services. The Summit conference was an opportune moment to meet in-person with others in the voluntary sector and for IPMO to reflect on where we are going, and how the needs of our communities, particularly marginalised communities, may also meet the needs of our members. Chair of IPMO, Dr Róisín O’Shea was the MC for the event, introducing speakers Laura Gibbons who works with Dóchas, Zsé Varga from Volunteer Ireland, and Mary Connors Aldrige and Joseph Ateb from IPMO. The title of the session was ‘The opportunities that volunteering can create for multicultural Ireland’.

Mary and Joseph who lead the IPMO Community Mediation Committee spoke about the need to understand what is meant by community mediation in Ireland and explored a mutually beneficial model which meets the needs of the community to access low or no cost mediation and the need of mediators to gain practice experience before they start their professional journey.

l-r Dr Roisin O'Shea, Joseph Ateb, Mary Connors (of the IPMO), Cherif Labreche (CEO of New Communities Partnership)

As Shane Dempsey Deputy Chair of IPMO noted, "volunteering to gain mediation experience is not a destination it is a means to gain experience in order to move on to professional practice".

Mary, a member of the Travelling Community spoke of her pathway to mediation, her recent appointment as CEO of Minceiri Port Lairge and the excellent work of the Traveller Mediation Service headed up by Chris McDonagh. Joseph spoke about coming to Ireland from Nigeria, studying law and securing a masters scholarship in mediation. Both spoke about the traditional values of their communities, the older dispute resolution culture and raising the awareness of mediation in those and other marginalised communities such as refugees, asylum seekers and immigrant communities.

Dr O’Shea facilitated a panel discussion which included guest panellist Cherif Labreche, CEO of New Communities Partnership and a Board member of the Wheel. Dr O’Shea closed the session emphasising the importance of volunteering and finding ways to attract volunteers such that organisations in the voluntary sector can thrive and communities benefit both locally and globally.

IPMO calls on the Minister for Finance to reduce the VAT rate on family mediation

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 15:00:50 GMT

On Sunday April 23rd the Sunday Business Post reported that the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation have called on the Minister for Justice to lower the VAT rate on family mediation services and family law services, to at least 9%.

In 2019 Róisín O’Shea and Shane Dempsey, the current Chair and Treasurer of the IPMO, made a submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Equality & Justice on reform of the family law system. In that submission they included a proposal that the VAT rate on family mediation should be reduced from 23% to no more than 9%. A journalist from the Sunday Business Post came across this 2019 proposal and reached out to ask if the Government had taken any steps to action this suggestion. The Board of IPMO had previously discussed calling again on the Government to consider this idea and last week the Board made a submission to the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD proposing that the State provide support to families who are going through the breakdown of a relationship or marriage by reducing Value Added Tax on family mediation fees and family law services.

Those who need the services of a family mediator, and a family law solicitor are individuals rather than businesses and therefore cannot reclaim VAT on their fees. At the current rate of 23% this is almost a quarter on top of the fees charged.

It is also the case that the majority of people engaging in mediation to agree parenting, child/spousal maintenance, and terms for separation or divorce will also need the services of a family law solicitor before they enter into a legally-binding mediation settlement or separation agreement. Therefore, separating families currently pay VAT at a rate of 23% for both their mediator and solicitor, substantially increasing the total costs. This extra cost likely depresses demand for mediation of marital separation, which the government is actively trying to promote as an alternative to litigation.

Lowering the VAT rate for both family mediation and family law services to at least 9% would have an immediate beneficial effect on the thousands of families experiencing marital separation, which are already impacted by the cost of living crisis.

IPMO looks forward to discussing this proposal further with the Minister.

The link to the Sunday Business Post article is below:

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/couples-divorcing-should-be-spared-penal-vat-charges-mcgrath-told/

IPMO launches discounted student membership

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 17:54:56 GMT

The Board of IPMO are pleased to announce the creation of a discounted student membership fee for those who are studying mediation. Students who are undertaking a mediation programme at third level can join IPMO for a fee of €20 which will allow student members to attend some IPMO member sessions and events.

Student members will receive the IPMO Bulletin which will announce which events student members can attend. It is an excellent opportunity for those studying mediation to be involved in interactive events with established mediators and those starting their mediation practice. IPMO is holding a series of events on the week of November 7th to 11th for International Mediation Awareness week which kicks off with a workshop on ‘Putting your best professional foot forward’ on starting your mediation practice; followed by another of our ‘In conversation with’ informal interviews where Dr Roisin O’Shea the Chair of IPMO speaks to international mediators about their professional journey.

All sessions/events are on Zoom .

To join the IPMO as a "Friend of IPMO (Student)", click here.

Remember that you may be asked for proof of enrolment.

In Conversation With

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 11:38:12 GMT

To mark the first anniversary of the Irish Professional Mediators' Organisation, we are hosting a series of online webinars for our members.

The "In Conversation With" series will see international mediators interviewed in a conversational style by the IPMO's chair, Dr Roisin O'Shea. The purpose is to give mediators who are starting out an understanding of how experienced mediators developed their professional skills.

To learn more, join the IPMO

ADR Alberta - Panel on Irish Mediation Legislation

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 11:03:23 GMT

Chair of IPMO and Partner in Arc Mediation Dr Roisin O'Shea was invited to speak at a webinar hosted by the ADR Institute of Alberta and the Foundation of Administrative Justice on February 17th 2022.

Support for the regulation of mediation in Canada has waxed and waned over the years. Many Canadian practitioners agree that some form of oversight is needed although many cannot agree why. One of the strongest arguments against regulation is the cost involved to set up regulatory bodies which would likely mean higher professional membership fees for mediators. But there is more than one way to consider regulation and in this webinar Dr Roisin O'Shea and Paul Pierse from Ireland speak about their experience in Ireland post the commencement of the Mediation Act, 2017, what changes it brought and what work still needs to be done.

https://www.adralberta.com/irish-mediation-act-2017/

Official Press Launch of the IPMO

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 19:03:23 GMT

The official press launch of our organisation is taking place this week. Dr Róisín O’Shea is the first Chair of the IPMO and makes the following announcement on behalf of our Board.

"I am very excited to announce the arrival of our new professional membership organisation for mediators, the Irish Professional Mediators’ Organisation, ‘IPMO’, a non-profit CLG. We have an amazing and diverse Board of experienced mediators and industry experts who are passionately committed to the development of mediation as a profession in Ireland, and we are already working with members to bring mediation front and centre as the best dispute resolution option.

Conflict is inevitable and can be found everywhere, varying in duration, intensity and scale. In Ireland and internationally there is both a growing recognition and re-embracing of mediation as more often than not the best forum to try and resolve a dispute.

My first introduction to peace-making was during informal meetings with George Mitchell and the American team during the Good Friday negotiations in the early 1990s. His patient and pragmatic approach, taking one bite-sized piece of the issues at a time, made a lasting impression on me and underpins my own work as a mediator today. We are reminded of how fragile lasting peace can be when significant change brings about new conflict, as has happened with Northern Ireland and Brexit, but through negotiation there is always a way to seek compromise, and it is our role as mediators to move disputants away from ultimatums or all or nothing thinking towards compromise and workable solutions.

As Chair of IPMO I bring 12 years of mediation experience having completed hundreds of cases and alongside that work I have carried out research in the Irish Courts to try and understand why families seek solutions through litigation. In case after case, I observed Judges recommending mediation and State policy also supports the use of mediation for civil disputes. The introduction of legislation to place mediation on a statutory footing is a very welcome initiative, but the Mediation Act 2017 is not a sticking plaster for the core problem of persuading people away from the courts and towards mediation. That is a job of work that IPMO will tackle, we must help the public to imagine themselves trying mediation where they self-determine their own solutions rather than handing over decision-making to a third-party authority.

The formation of the Mediation Council of Ireland is a key component of the Mediation Act 2017, its role including the promotion of public awareness of mediation, maintaining and developing mediation standards and setting up a national register of mediators. The establishment of that Council is imminent which is why IPMO needed to come into being. There are 5 seats on that Council to represent the interests of mediators and mediation services, and as one of only 2 professional membership bodies for mediators in Ireland we are seeking a seat. The work of the Mediation Council will be crucial to the development of mediation in Ireland and the IPMO team have the skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm to work to achieve a future Ireland where mediation is always the first preference for dispute resolution. "

- Chair of IMPO Dr Róisín O’Shea

Photo: The Board of IPMO: Top row L-R Dr Róisín O’Shea, Marie Casey, Ercus Stewart SC, Anastasia Ward, Fredericka Sheppard. Bottom row L-R Joseph Ateb, Penelope McRedmond, Mary Connors Aldrige, Shane Dempsey, Gareth Leech

Chair of IPMO selected as a judge for an international commercial mediation competition

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 12:16:42 GMT

Dr Roisin O'Shea, Chair of the Irish Professional Mediators Organisation CLG, has been selected as a Judge for the 17th ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition.

Students from Universities and Colleges all over the world will compete on 48 teams, their performance being evaluated by some of the world's leading Dispute Resolution specialists who participate as judges. The competition is an annual educational event that seeks to encourage the effective use of mediation and the open exchange of ideas, experience and know-how between students and professionals from different countries, cultures, generations and backgrounds. In commenting on her appointment Dr O' Shea said

"I am delighted to be selected as a judge and fully support the aims of this international event which places an emphasis on cultural diversity in line with a key objective of IPMO. Our organisation through our Supervision and Mentorship programmes also supports the exchange of ideas and experience between experienced mediators and new entrants, which transitions newly qualified mediators into professional practice. The support provided by experienced mediators will help develop the professional service of mediation in Ireland and will ensure that the users of mediation will ultimately benefit".

The event which will take place from February 7th to 15th 2022 is run by the International Chamber of Commerce, 'ICC', who have over 100 years of experience in devising rules to govern and facilitate the conduct of international business.

Welcome to the IPMO

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 14:06:26 GMT

Welcome to the website of the Irish Professional Mediators' Organisation (IPMO). The IPMO were set up by mediators, legal and HR professionals to further the professional development of mediation in Ireland. We are a rapidly growing organisation with more than 50 members as of the launch of our website.

You can learn about our organisation, its Board of Directors and Committees here.

Interested parties can learn about our membership categories and apply to be members of the IPMO here. Stakeholders who aren't mediators can join our organisations as "Friends of IPMO" which will enable them to help influence the professionalisation of mediation in Ireland.

Details of events for the public and our members will be publicised on our Events page.