Does My Company Need a Company Secretary?
Yes. Section 129 of the Companies Act 2014 requires every Irish company to have a company secretary. It can be a director, another person or a company, but a sole director can't also be the secretary.
Who can be the secretary
- One of the directors, if the company has two or more.
- Another individual, such as a family member or employee.
- A company, such as a firm that provides company secretarial services.
If the company has only one director, that person can't also be the secretary. The directors have a duty to make sure the secretary has the skills or resources needed for the role. A new secretary's appointment is notified to the CRO on Form B10 within 14 days.
We're appointed as your company secretary for the year, with the B10 filed for you. Other filings are priced per job.
What the secretary does
- Keeps the statutory registers, such as the registers of members and of directors and secretaries.
- Prepares and files forms with the CRO, including the annual return and changes of officers.
- Prepares minutes and resolutions for directors' and members' decisions.
- Helps keep the company's beneficial ownership register and RBO filing up to date.
Directors stay responsible
Under section 223, each director must make sure the company complies with the Companies Act. Appointing an outside secretary hands over the paperwork and the deadlines, not the directors' legal responsibility. A good secretary keeps directors told about what's due and what they need to sign.
Appointed secretary or secretarial services?
These are different things. The appointed company secretary is the officer named on the CRO register, who signs documents as secretary. Secretarial services are the work itself: minutes, filings and registers. A company can appoint one person as secretary and buy the work from someone else, or have one provider do both.
When an outside secretary helps
Missed annual returns lead to late filing penalties and can lead to the company being struck off. An outside company secretary keeps the dates and the paperwork in hand, and is a practical answer for companies with a sole director.
Sources
Last checked 14 November 2026 against the Companies Act 2014 and Companies Registration Office (CRO) guidance. This is general information, not legal or tax advice for your company.