The pace of change in artificial intelligence is accelerating and for the accountancy profession, the implications are profound. From how we work and advise, to our role in shaping trust, governance and growth across the economy, AI presents both extraordinary opportunity and important questions. This moment calls for leadership, clarity and an open, informed discussion.  To mark the launch of its new position paper, An Empowered Profession – AI and the Future of Accountancy, the Institute is hosting a Chartered Roundtable event on Wednesday 20 May at 8:30am, with Deputy Malcolm Byrne TD, Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on AI, who will bring valuable perspectives on how government is approaching AI policy, supports and regulation, and what this means for businesses, professionals and the wider economy. Members will also hear from Institute CEO Rosemary Keogh, who will give an overview of the Institute’s position paper and host a Q&A discussion with Deputy Byrne.   This is an opportunity to engage directly on the issues that matter most: the impact of AI on accountancy, its role in transforming business and the economy, and how public policy and professional leadership must evolve together.   Members are encouraged to register early to secure their place at this important event.   Register now for this free Chartered Roundtable discussion on AI and the Future of Accountancy.  About the Chartered Roundtables   This is the fourth event in the Institute’s series “Trusted Business Leadership: The Chartered Roundtables”.    The last year or so has been a momentous one for the Institute. We launched a refreshed brand and a new strategy placing Trusted Business Leadership at the heart of all our activity. We have an enhanced mandate as the largest professional body on the island, and a responsibility to use our voice to advocate for members, to deliver for members, and to support members through change.    Through the Chartered Roundtables, we want to meet with members on a regular basis and discuss policy areas of relevance to you. We want to provide a forum for discussion and debate. But equally we want to take your sentiments and feed them through to policy makers in our ongoing engagements on your behalf.     

The purpose of National Workplace Wellbeing Day is to raise awareness of the importance of wellbeing in the workplace at a national level and to ask organisations to pause and reflect on how they support their people.  This year, Irish employers are invited to focus on a theme that is deeply human: belonging.  Most of us know what it feels like when we have a sense of belonging. Belonging is not about fitting in. It is about feeling accepted, valued and included.  In the workplace, belonging influences how safe people feel about speaking up, how motivated they are to contribute, and how likely they are to stay, progress and excel.  We also know what the absence of belonging feels like. It’s holding back in meetings. The sense that your contribution doesn’t quite land or is fully appreciated. It's never being fully at ease or hiding your authentic self. Over time, that disconnection takes a toll on our confidence, motivation and wellbeing.  As organisations navigate ongoing change, hybrid work and rising complexity, belonging has emerged as a core element of workplace wellbeing, and one of the clearest signals of a healthy workplace culture.  The link between belonging and wellbeing Wellbeing is often framed as something individual, personal and singular. But in actuality, our wellbeing is shaped just as much by relationships and environment as by personal habits.  People are more likely to feel good at work when they feel accepted and valued. Belonging lowers stress, builds psychological safety and makes it easier to ask for help when things get tough. When challenges arise – as they always do – a sense of connection acts as a buffer.  Conversely, when people feel excluded, overlooked or invisible, the impact is quiet at first, but long-term disengagement creeps in. This is when ‘quiet quitting’, absenteeism and turnover shows up.  Belonging is lived Many organisations have invested time and effort in diversity and inclusion work, often focusing on policies, representation and formal commitments. By prioritising inclusion, employees feel valued and supported which leads to stronger team cohesion and a positive organisational culture. But belonging goes a step further.  Belonging is about everyday experiences and interactions:  Do people feel safe sharing ideas or concerns?  Are different perspectives genuinely welcomed?  Is flexibility applied fairly and consistently?  Do people believe their work and contributions matter?  Belonging is subtle, it develops and grows in daily interactions and in the small signals about what is valued and who is heard.  The power of leadership behaviour  Leaders and management often underestimate how much their words, tone and behaviour shape belonging. Small moments matter, it's how a manager reacts to a mistake, whose voice is acknowledged in a meeting, and whether personal circumstances are met with understanding or impatience.  Belonging is built when leadership teams:  Listen without rushing to respond  Show curiosity about different views and experiences  Acknowledge effort, not just results  Are honest and transparent, especially when decisions are difficult  Model healthy boundaries and respect  Belonging in the changing ways of working  Hybrid work has brought welcomed flexibility, but it has also changed how belonging is created and developed. Informal moments, shared context and visibility don’t happen as easily when teams are dispersed.  This means fostering a sense of inclusion and belonging needs to be a more deliberate and considered process. Belonging depends on fairness, clarity and trust. When flexibility feels uneven or communication is inconsistent, people can quickly feel left out or undervalued. When expectations and standards are clear and fair, connections can thrive.  Psychological safety: Where belonging becomes real  For belonging to truly thrive in the workplace, there needs to be a psychologically safe culture. This is a term that is gaining popularity in organisational psychology, but at its essence, it is about creating an environment where learning, honesty, and growth are possible.  At a practical level, belonging shows up as psychological safety. People feel they belong when they can ask questions, challenge ideas, admit mistakes or say they’re struggling without fear.  Psychological safety isn’t about lowering standards, but it is about allowing employees to feel like they can ask questions, challenge ideas, admit mistakes or say they’re struggling without fear, reprisal or stigma.   Teams with high psychological safety tend to be more engaged, more resilient and better at navigating change. They are also healthier places to work.  Belonging in the everyday National Workplace Wellbeing Day doesn’t need to be busy or performative to be meaningful. Creating space for honest conversation, and really actively listening to what comes back, is a powerful starting point.  Belonging can’t be delivered by HR alone, and it can’t be confined to a single day or week. It’s built in everyday choices. How work is designed, how pressure is managed, how people are treated when things aren’t going well.  This year’s theme is a reminder that wellbeing isn’t just about individual strength. When people feel they belong, work becomes more human, more sustainable and more meaningful – for individuals and for organisations alike.  If you would like some advice on workplace wellbeing or on your own personal wellbeing, the Thrive wellbeing team is professionally trained to offer wellbeing advice and support to help you on your wellbeing journey.  You can contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294.  

Last week a delegation from the Institute’s tax team, including representatives from its special working sub-group on cross-border and remote/hybrid working, met in Belfast with Northern Ireland’s Minister of Finance John O’Dowd MLA, to discuss the ongoing barriers to the all-island labour market as result of tax complexity facing businesses and frontier/cross-border workers.   In February this year, the Institute wrote to Minister O’Dowd requesting a meeting to discuss solutions for those employers and workers affected by the byzantine tax administration and compliance requirements in the UK and Ireland which have been exacerbated by hybrid and remote working in recent years. In 2025 we also wrote to HMRC’s CEO JP Marks on this issue, which also featured in the Institute’s pre-budget submission ahead of the 2025 Autumn Budget.  Last week’s meeting with the Minister and his officials was an engaging and productive discussion which focused on the three key issues highlighted in our initial letter whilst also discussing solutions. The Institute will continue to engage with the Minister and his team as this important work progresses.    Earlier this month on 13 April we also met with officials from the Department of Finance in Dublin to discuss the same issues following on from a similar letter to Tánaiste Simon Harris during which his team noted the Tánaiste’s support for the work. This was a similarly engaging meeting the outcome from which is that our engagement with the Irish Government will also continue as Irish Department of Finance officials progress this work on their end.    Readers may be aware of the joint statement issued by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and An Taoiseach Micheál Martin following the UK-Ireland Summit in Cork last month. In that statement, the leaders jointly said that they “welcome agreement to engage on reaching a decision in principle this year on a bilateral Ireland-UK approach to address concerns arising from hybrid cross-border working and to consider other aspects of the UK-Ireland Double Taxation Convention which may require updating.”   The Institute had previously recommended in its 2025 UK pre-budget submission that a bilateral agreement be considered as a policy solution which would significantly reduce the substantial complexity faced by employers and employees affected by these issues. The Institute will be including a similar recommendation in its Pre-Budget 2027 submission to the DoF which will be published in the coming weeks.     As a result of these recent meetings, it is clear and encouraging that Westminster and Dublin are taking a joint approach to this matter which will naturally also require engagement and input from ministers and officials in Stormont. Ultimately, this work may also open up opportunities for the leaders in Dublin, Belfast, and London to consider broader measures which would support the economic development of Northern Ireland beyond the all-island labour market.