General Power of Attorney in Cork and Ireland — What It Is and When to Use It

A General Power of Attorney (GPA) is a legal document that appoints one or more people to act on your behalf in legal, financial, or other matters. Unlike an Enduring Power of Attorney, a general power of attorney becomes invalid if you lose mental capacity — making it unsuitable for long-term or incapacity planning.

What Is a General Power of Attorney?

A GPA grants broad authority to your nominated attorney to act on your behalf. The scope can be:

• General: Authority over all your financial and legal affairs
• Limited/specific: Authority for a particular transaction (e.g., selling a property while you are abroad)

When Is a General Power of Attorney Used?

Common uses in Cork include:

• Authorising someone to sign property documents on your behalf while you are abroad
• Delegating authority to manage a business while you are unavailable
• Authorising someone to deal with a specific legal or financial transaction
• Managing affairs during a temporary absence from Ireland

Key Limitation — Not Valid After Incapacity

The critical difference from an Enduring Power of Attorney: a general power of attorney automatically becomes invalid if you lose mental capacity. This makes it entirely unsuitable as an incapacity planning tool. If you want someone to manage your affairs in case of illness or dementia, you need an EPA, not a GPA.

How Is a General Power of Attorney Made?

A GPA is a relatively simple document drafted by a solicitor and signed by the donor (the person granting authority) in the presence of a witness. It does not need to be registered with any authority (unlike an EPA). It takes effect immediately upon signing.

Revoking a General Power of Attorney

A GPA can be revoked at any time by the donor, provided they still have capacity, by executing a revocation deed and notifying the attorney and any third parties who are relying on the authority.

Cost of a General Power of Attorney in Cork

A standard general power of attorney prepared by a Cork solicitor typically costs €100–€300 depending on complexity and the scope of authority granted.

Do You Need a GPA or an EPA?

• Temporary/specific authority while you have capacity → General Power of Attorney
• Long-term authority that continues through incapacity → Enduring Power of Attorney

See: EPA Cork — Main Guide | Power of Attorney Ireland — Full Guide.