Under Ireland’s common law system, the CCPC  investigates alleged cartels and may recommend immunity for cartel immunity applicants, but the decision to prosecute criminal cases  is the responsibility of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the imposition of sanctions is a function reserved to the Irish courts. However, following transposition of ECN+ which will be transposed into Irish law once the Competition Amendment Bill 2022 is passed by the Irish parliament, Ireland will be required to implement a system for civil or administrative fines for competition law breaches, which would be proven on the basis of a civil standard of proof (i.e. on the balance of probabilities).