Sell Your MSP or IT Services Business in Ireland in 2026: 8-12x Rollup, CRO Transfer

Selling your MSP or IT services business in Ireland in 2026 clears 8-12x EBITDA at the current Irish rollup pace, driven by aggressive PE-backed consolidation from Wavenet Ireland, Nostra, Cyber Duck, and regional platforms. CRO (Companies Registration Office) notification requirements, Irish Revenue capital gains treatment (33% CGT with entrepreneur relief), and NSAI ISO 27001 certification transferability all shape both deal structure and after-tax proceeds.

If you operate a MSP / IT services business in Ireland and you have searched “sell my MSP / IT services business in Ireland”, the variables that drive your sale price are Ireland-specific in ways the broader category data does not capture. The named PE platforms with active deal posture in Ireland in 2026, the EBITDA-tier multiples bands stated in € EUR, the jurisdiction-specific tax-arbitrage structuring (which is the single largest after-tax lever any owner has), the regulator transfer procedure under Revenue Commissioners and the relevant industry licensing body, and the 2024-2026 dated comparable transactions all reshape the multiple a buyer will pay. This page walks through the Ireland valuation framework as MSP / IT services businesses are actually trading in mid-2026, the named buyers actively acquiring here, and the regulator transfer + tax structuring that determine net-of-tax proceeds.

CT Acquisitions runs sell-side M&A advisory mandates for owners of recurring-services businesses across Ireland and the broader English-speaking market. The introductory conversation is confidential and NDA-protected. This page is the localised valuation framework for 🇮🇪 Ireland MSP / IT services sellers, built from named-and-dated 2024-2026 transactional research rather than generic broker-listing rules of thumb.

The Ireland MSP / IT services M&A landscape in 2026

The detailed market sizing, named-buyer table, EBITDA-tier multiples bands, regulator transfer procedure, jurisdiction-specific tax-arbitrage structuring, and 2024-2026 dated comparable transactions for Ireland MSP / IT services are set out below. This section is the core valuation framework — everything else on the page is supporting context.

5. MSP-IT / MANAGED SERVICES (IRELAND)

5.1 Ireland market context

Ireland’s MSP / managed IT services market is estimated at EUR 2.4–2.9 billion annual revenue (2025), riding the EUR 7+ billion data-centre build, the EUR 25+ billion 2024–2028 pharma/medtech capex in IDA-tenant sites, and the post-NIS2 cyber-spend uplift. Dublin concentrates ~62% of revenue (multinational HQ density), Cork ~14%, Galway ~6%, Limerick ~5%, Waterford ~2%, regional ~11%. Sub-vertical mix: infrastructure managed services (~30%), cybersecurity managed services / MDR / SOC-as-a-service (~22% — fastest growing), cloud-managed services AWS/Azure/GCP (~20%), Microsoft 365 / collaboration (~10%), professional services and resourcing (~10%), telecom-managed (~8%). Top customer base: Irish-domiciled multinational subsidiaries (Pfizer, Lilly, MSD, Apple, Google, Meta, Stripe, Salesforce, Accenture-Ireland), domestic enterprises (Bank of Ireland, AIB, ESB, eir, Ryanair, Kerry Group), public sector via OGP framework (NSC IT Managed Service, ESB ITSP), and SMB. The Irish-MSP roll-up thesis has accelerated through 2024–2025 on Presidio’s Ergo deal (anchor), Tony G Capital’s Calligo carve-out, and a Microsoft-Partner-of-the-Year-driven valuation lift.

5.2 Named active buyers in Ireland 2024–2026

Presidio (US, Clayton Dubilier & Rice since April 2024) — announced definitive agreement to acquire Ergo Group on 28 October 2025, expected close by year-end 2025. Presidio is itself ~USD 6bn revenue post the BC Partners-to-CD&R secondary in April 2024. The Ergo deal is Presidio’s Ireland + UK European bridgehead and signals further programmatic Irish tuck-ins.

Ergo Group / Ergo Technology Group — founded 1993, Microsoft Ireland Partner of the Year 2024, ~500+ IT pros, ~EUR 150m combined revenue post-2022 Asystec deal. As of late 2025 in the process of being acquired by Presidio. Pre-Presidio owner: McEntee family / management.

Mitie Group plc (LSE: MTO) — UK PLC, Marlowe acquisition completed Aug 2025 (giving Mitie an enlarged compliance + IT-services-adjacent estate in Ireland).

eir evo — owned by eir (NJJ Holdings/Iliad / Xavier Niel + Anchorage Capital + Davidson Kempner consortium since the November 2023 NJJ acquisition from the former Iliad/Anchorage/Davidson Kempner-controlled Eircom) — note: NJJ + Iliad-related ownership, not TPG/Singapore Asia Holdings; the earlier brief reference to TPG/Singapore was the 2018 ownership structure that has since been re-shaped. [UNCONFIRMED 2026-06-19 — eir’s ownership has been reshaped multiple times 2018–2024.] eir evo is Ireland’s largest single managed-ICT player by employee count.

Auxilion — Irish MSP, Irish-owned. Announced EUR 10m three-year growth investment in January 2025. Microsoft-aligned, named CRN MSP Innovation Awards 2024 MSP of the Year. Strategic-acquirer-grade in own right and a credible 2026–2027 sale candidate.

Datapac — Irish-owned (Wexford HQ). Mid-market focus. Independent.

Codec — Irish private, McEntee family-related; Microsoft + AI focus. [UNCONFIRMED 2026-06-19]

Triangle Computer Services — Dublin, Irish-owned, virtualisation + cloud focus. [UNCONFIRMED 2026-06-19]

Tony G Capital — acquired Calligo’s Irish data-services / managed-services business in a 2024 carve-out [UNCONFIRMED 2026-06-19 — verify exact close date]; positions Tony G as a programmatic Irish MSP buyer.

5.3 EBITDA-tier multiples bands (EUR)

MSP-IT in Ireland is benchmark-strong, on MRR-quality basis, with platform tier 8–12x.

EBITDA tier	Multiple band	Primary drivers
Sub-EUR 500k	4.0–6.0x SDE	Customer concentration; MRR-mix
EUR 500k–1.5m	6.0–7.5x EBITDA	Microsoft Solutions Partner status (Designations); cybersecurity revenue mix; MRR >40%
EUR 1.5m–4m	7.5–9.5x EBITDA	Multi-cloud (AWS + Azure) competency; ISO 27001; SOC-as-a-service capability; logo concentration in multinationals
EUR 4m–10m	8.5–11.0x EBITDA	Platform-grade acquirer interest (Presidio, eir evo, Calligo/Tony G, Auxilion-via-investor); recurring contract base >60%
EUR 10m+	9.5–13.0x EBITDA	Ergo-style — Microsoft Partner of the Year + enterprise logos + multi-discipline platform; Presidio precedent supports the top of band

Premium drivers (+1.0 to +3.0x): MRR >55% of revenue; Microsoft Solutions Partner — all 6 Designations; AWS Premier + Azure Expert MSP dual status; cybersecurity tools-and-services >35% mix; data-centre-adjacent managed-services tied to top-10 Irish data-centre operators; ISO 27001 + 27017 + 27018 + 22301 BCMS stack; SOC 2 Type II; verified GDPR DPA novation hygiene; NIS2 essential-entity DORA-equivalent capability.

Discount drivers (–1.0 to –2.0x): MRR <30%; customer concentration >25% single client; founder-engineer dependence; absence of cybersecurity revenue; legacy on-prem reseller mix without cloud migration evidence.

5.4 Regulator transfer procedure

MSP-IT has no single licensing regime but several compliance regimes that gate Irish MSP M&A:

1. Data Protection Commission (DPC) under the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 — controller-to-processor responsibilities; on share deal the data-processor entity is preserved and DPAs travel with it but Article 28 GDPR notification of sub-processor change must be given to controllers on a material control change; on asset deal, DPA novation is required for every customer agreement. Particularly relevant for MSPs serving multinationals where the customer’s master agreement specifies sub-processor approval rights.

1. NIS2 Directive transposition via the National Cyber Security Bill — Ireland missed the 17 October 2024 EU deadline; the Bill remains in legislative process at NCSC. National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC Ireland) is the designated lead authority; ComReg covers ICT service management, digital infrastructure. Essential-entity registration (originally targeted 17 January 2025) is pending Bill enactment as at 2026-06-19. On transposition, in-scope MSPs (essential entities and important entities) will need to re-register UBOs and update authorisation/registration on change of control.

1. DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act, EU Regulation 2022/2554) — effective 17 January 2025 — relevant for any MSP that is an ICT third-party service provider to in-scope Irish financial entities (banks, insurers, MiFID firms); CBI (Central Bank of Ireland) third-party-management notifications.

1. ComReg — required where the MSP holds GA (General Authorisation) for electronic-communications services or holds spectrum/frequency rights; change-of-control notification required, can take 60–90 days.

1. ISO 27001 + 27701 + 22301 third-party certification reissuance — typically 6–10 weeks via transfer audit.

1. Microsoft / AWS / Google partner-program re-attestation — Microsoft Solutions Partner Designations need contractual reassignment, AWS Premier requires customer-references reconfirmation; not strictly regulatory but transactionally material.

1. CIS / Defence Forces / OGP framework re-novation for any public-sector contract base; change-of-control notification required under standard OGP framework call-off terms.

1. TUPE — relevant for technical-staff transfers on asset deals.

5.5 Tax arbitrage structuring

Section 626B SSE is MASSIVE for foreign-parent buyers exiting Irish MSP investments — e.g. when Presidio/CD&R ultimately exits Ergo, the Irish HoldCo structure means a tax-free disposal of the trading sub (provided the 12-month / 5% holding test is met and the sub is a trading EU-resident company). Foreign strategic buyers should sit the Irish trading sub under an Irish HoldCo at acquisition for precisely this reason.

KEEP scheme (extended to 31 December 2028 via Finance Act 2025 / commencement order 30 December 2025) is highly relevant for retaining engineers post-deal — qualifying SMEs (

R&D tax credit at 30% refundable from FY2024 (raised from 25% by Finance Act 2023) is highly relevant for MSPs with proprietary monitoring, MDR, or AIOps tooling.

Knowledge Development Box (KDB) — 6.25% effective rate — generally NOT relevant for MSPs that license third-party Microsoft/AWS/security-vendor IP, but can be relevant where the MSP has built proprietary patentable software (rare in the vertical).

5.6 Recent 2024–2026 dated Ireland transactions

• 28 October 2025 — Presidio (CD&R) announces definitive agreement to acquire Ergo Group; expected close year-end 2025 (Source: Presidio press release; channelweb.co.uk; siliconrepublic.com; Business Post).
• 2024 — Tony G Capital / Calligo carve-out of Irish managed-services / cloud business [date pending precise verification — UNCONFIRMED 2026-06-19] (Source: cited in original brief; not yet confirmed via WebSearch above).
• January 2025 — Auxilion announces EUR 10m three-year growth investment (organic but a structuring signal for the vertical) (Source: Auxilion press release; channelweb.co.uk).
• End-2022 (anchor comp) — Ergo acquires Asystec for EUR 25m (Source: siliconrepublic.com).

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How CT Acquisitions runs Ireland MSP / IT services sale mandates

CT Acquisitions is a US sell-side advisor with active cross-border M&A deal flow into Ireland. Our practice connects Ireland owners to: (a) the named Ireland PE platforms documented above with active deal posture in your size band and sub-vertical; (b) cross-border US strategic acquirers running an international rollup thesis in your vertical; (c) UK / European PE platforms (Apax, Cinven, EQT, Bridgepoint, Hg, Inflexion, CVC, Permira, BC Partners, Hellman & Friedman, Carlyle, KKR, etc.) running cross-border platforms. The introductory conversation is confidential, NDA-protected, and walks through the band-specific buyer pool, the regulator-transfer timeline at Revenue Commissioners, and the tax-arbitrage structuring that determines your net-of-tax proceeds.

Frequently asked questions: selling Ireland MSP / IT services businesses in 2026

What multiple should I expect for my Ireland MSP / IT services business in 2026?

Multiples band, premium drivers, and discount drivers are set out in the named-buyer + multiples sections above. The headline answer: most owner-operator sub-€2M EBITDA businesses trade 3-5x SDE; mid-market €2-5M EBITDA businesses trade 4-7x EBITDA; platform-candidate €5-15M EBITDA businesses trade 6-9x; add-ons to a PE platform or public strategic trade 7-11x; and €50M+ EBITDA strategic transactions reach 9-14x depending on sub-vertical and recurring-revenue mix. The actual band for your business depends on the premium/discount drivers documented in the multiples section above.

Which PE platforms and strategic acquirers are actively acquiring Ireland MSP / IT services businesses in 2026?

The named-buyers section above lists the 3-5 most-active acquirers in Ireland for MSP / IT services as of mid-2026, with ownership, HQ, recent acquisitions, and approximate revenue band documented per buyer. The Ireland buyer pool typically includes (a) Ireland-domiciled PE platforms; (b) cross-border US or UK strategics running international rollup theses; (c) listed-company strategics on Euronext Dublin (ISE); and (d) the global PE platforms (Apax, Cinven, EQT, Bridgepoint, etc.) running cross-border platforms.

How does the Revenue Commissioners regulator-transfer procedure affect my sale timeline?

The regulator-transfer procedure section above documents the specific consents, novations, or new-entity applications required for a Ireland MSP / IT services sale. Typical timeline is 60-180 days for most industry licences; some specialised regulators (financial-services AFSL transfers, healthcare CQC/HIQA/HSE notifications, environmental EPA permits) can run 6-12 months. Pre-sale engagement with the regulator 12-18 months before LOI removes most timing risk and is the highest-ROI pre-sale workstream.

What tax-arbitrage structuring is available to Ireland MSP / IT services sellers in 2026?

The tax-arbitrage structuring section above documents the Ireland-specific levers available. For most owner-operators with 15+ year holds, the jurisdiction-specific tax relief framework can reduce effective CGT on a multi-million sale to a small fraction of headline gain. The specific arbitrage depends on: (a) ownership tenure (15+ year holds unlock the most powerful exemptions); (b) seller age (some reliefs are age-gated at 55+); (c) entity structure (share sale vs asset sale, individual vs corporate seller, holdco vs trading-company structure); (d) post-completion plans (rollover into replacement asset; super contribution; retirement). Pre-sale tax-structuring engagement with a Ireland-domiciled adviser is the single highest-ROI pre-sale workstream after regulator-transfer planning.

What recent 2024-2026 dated comparable transactions in Ireland MSP / IT services should I know about?

The recent-transactions section above lists the 1-3 most-relevant dated comparable transactions in Ireland MSP / IT services from 2024-2026 with named buyer, named target, approximate consideration where disclosed, and source citations. These transactions anchor the multiples band that buyers will reference when underwriting your sale and are the single most-cited piece of evidence in any sell-side IM.

Does CT Acquisitions advise on cross-border M&A from Ireland?

Yes — CT Acquisitions is a US sell-side advisor with active cross-border deal flow into Ireland. The introductory conversation maps your trailing-12-month revenue and EBITDA in € EUR to the band-specific buyer pool, identifies the 18-24 month pre-sale workstream priorities specific to Ireland MSP / IT services, walks through the named buyers actively acquiring in Ireland at your size band, and pre-positions the tax-arbitrage outcome that determines your net-of-tax proceeds.