I David Martin was honoured to have been given the opportunity to conduct research under Irish Research Council funding for the rest of my PhD candidacy and cannot thank the UL staff across disciplines enough for providing me with the necessary tools, training and insight to fully maximise my application. My research will focus on the regulation of shadow banking and its implications for systemic risk, with particular attention paid to Ireland, Europe and the US. With the help of the dedicated members in the research office and the insight provided by faculty of the Law School, I have been able to bring my work to the national level and I hope to return that favour in the coming years to aid future candidates similarly. I would like to firstly thank my supervisor Professor Raymond Friel for his continued mentorship, guidance and evaluation of my work, as well as carrying out the immense task of executing the final stage of my application. I would also like to extend my thanks to my two referees, Professor Shane Kilcommins and Professor Mary Donnelly of UCC. Professors Kilcommins and Donnelly were both exceptionally generous with their time in refereeing this application and their input valued above all else.  Within the Law School, the Director of Postgraduate Studies Dr. Alan Cusack and fellow PhD candidate Beth Duane were both invaluable in providing first-hand advice on their own experiences of the IRC process. Without their suggestions and recommendations, I could not have effectively navigated the application so I am thoroughly grateful to them. The School of Law has been exceptionally welcoming in my first year of PhD study and I endeavour to utilise the skills gained through this process, along with experience and knowledge shared with colleagues, to apply for further research grants into the future at UL.