# IPMO

IPMO is a Pension Fund based in Dublin, Ireland.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Pension Fund
- **Headquarters:** Dublin, Ireland
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** Dublin, Ireland
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** theipmo.ie
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipmo

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

IPMO was established by Dr. Róisín O'Shea and Shane Dempsey, both founding partners of ARC Mediation, to create a unified professional home for mediators across Ireland. The organization's board includes Bill Holohan SC, a Senior Counsel solicitor who chairs the Accreditation Committee, and Fredericka Sheppard, co-founder of Voltedge Management. Its community mediation initiatives operate under Mary Connors Aldridge, CEO of Minceiri Port Láirge. The body represents practitioners across civil, commercial, family, and workplace mediation, drawing its membership from solicitors, barristers, and non-legal dispute resolution professionals. IPMO functions primarily as a standard-setting and advocacy body rather than a training provider or case administrator. Its Accreditation Committee, chaired by Holohan, maintains a register of certified mediators and defines continuing professional development requirements. The organization holds certified memberships with the International Mediation Institute, tying its standards to global competency benchmarks. In the European context, IPMO participates in GEMME, the European association of judges and legal professionals interested in mediation, giving it a seat at cross-border policy discussions about court-annexed and private mediation frameworks. IPMO's operational footprint extends beyond Dublin through partnerships with organizations such as The Wheel, the national association of community and voluntary organizations in Ireland. IPMO members host sessions at The Wheel's annual summits, embedding mediation practice within the broader Irish social enterprise and nonprofit ecosystem. IPMO's structural differentiation lies in its voluntary-membership model operating in a jurisdiction where mediation is not yet a unified regulated profession. The organization bridges the gap between statutory frameworks like the Mediation Act 2017 and the practitioners who deliver services under it, functioning as a de facto quality assurance mechanism without government mandate. Its dual governance structure — combining the Accreditation Committee under a Senior Counsel with community mediation outreach — allows it to engage both elite legal practitioners and grassroots service providers within a single institutional architecture.

## People

- Dr. Róisín O'Shea — Chairperson
- Shane Dempsey — Treasurer and Deputy Chair
- Bill Holohan SC — Board Member
- Fredericka Sheppard — Board Member

## Questions

### Who runs the Accreditation Committee at IPMO?

Bill Holohan SC chairs IPMO's Accreditation Committee. Holohan is a Senior Counsel solicitor in Ireland, and the committee is responsible for maintaining the organization's register of certified mediators and defining continuing professional development standards. The committee's decisions shape who is recognized as a qualified mediator within IPMO's voluntary framework.

### How does IPMO relate to European mediation bodies like GEMME and IMI?

IPMO holds certified memberships with the International Mediation Institute, linking its practitioner standards to IMI's global competency benchmarks. It also participates in GEMME, the Groupement Européen des Magistrats pour la Mediation, which is the European association for judges and legal professionals interested in mediation. These affiliations give IPMO influence over cross-border mediation policy and credential recognition.

### Is IPMO a statutory regulator for mediators in Ireland?

No. IPMO is a voluntary membership body, not a government-mandated regulator. Ireland's Mediation Act 2017 provides a statutory framework for mediation, but the profession itself does not have a single unified regulator. IPMO fills part of that gap by setting practitioner standards and maintaining an accreditation register through voluntary compliance.

### Which organization manages IPMO's community mediation initiatives?

Mary Connors Aldridge leads IPMO's Community Mediation Committee. She is also the CEO of Minceiri Port Láirge. The committee's work connects mediation services to community and voluntary organizations, including through partnerships with The Wheel and the New Communities Partnership.

### What is the relationship between IPMO and ARC Mediation?

IPMO's Chairperson, Dr. Róisín O'Shea, and its Deputy Chair and Treasurer, Shane Dempsey, are both founding partners of ARC Mediation, a dispute resolution firm. The two organizations are distinct — IPMO is a membership body representing the broader profession, while ARC Mediation is a private practice — but the founders' dual roles create a close institutional alignment.

## Related profiles

- [IPMJ](https://altss.com/profile/ipmj)
- [IPMS](https://altss.com/profile/ipms)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z

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