From the Professional Accountancy team…... The Institute held three in-person events in early March 2026 in Cork, Galway and Dublin. Sarah Jane O’Keeffe, Partner in Azets, and Derek Wilson, former inspector in the Institute presented at the well-attended events and provided attendees with great practical examples. Attendees were given a comprehensive overview of the Creditors Voluntary Liquidation Handbook  published last year to assist Liquidators in complying with legislative and Statement of Insolvency Practice (SIP)  requirements when conducting statutory meetings, reporting to creditors and approval of remuneration. The sessions also covered compliance matters and potential issues and problems that can arise and how to avoid or best navigate these.  Attendees were also reminded of the resource available from the Corporate Enforcement Authority the form of the Liquidator’s report on conduct of directors in a winding up of an insolvent company. Finally, readers are reminded to check out the Professional Accountancy Team’s Technical Hub which includes a dedicated Insolvency section and to keep up to date with other technical material also. This information is provided as resources and information only and nothing in these pages purports to provide professional advice or definitive legal interpretation(s) or opinion(s) on the applicable legislation or legal or other matters referred to in the pages. If the reader is in doubt on any matter in this complex area further legal or other advice must be obtained. While every reasonable care has been taken by the Institute in the preparation of these pages, we do not guarantee the accuracy or veracity of any resource, guidance, information or opinion, or the appropriateness, suitability or applicability of any practice or procedure contained therein. The Institute is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of the resources or information contained in these pages.  

In this week’s cross-border trading corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications. The most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is also available as is the latest Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs team. Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows: Amendment of CNEN to Heading 2309 — Animal feed (Tariff notice 3), EUR1 and EUR-MED movement certificate, Customs civil penalties, External temporary storage facilities codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service, Data Element 2/3: Documents and Other Reference Codes (Union) of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), Simplified Customs Declaration Process, Notice to exporters 2026/04: transmission issues between LITE/SPIRE and CDS, Internal temporary storage facilities (ITSFs) codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service, and Reference Documents for The Customs Tariff (Preferential Trade Arrangements) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.  

Last week the Institute responded to the consultation Draft Budget 2026-2029/30 and took the opportunity to highlight a range of Northern Ireland (NI) specific issues of tax policy that are impacting on the region. The potential to activate a lower rate of corporation tax for NI also featured in the submission together with the need for affordable childcare. Overall, the submission highlighted that NI’s competitiveness depends on an economy that attracts investment, supports entrepreneurs, enables cross-border labour mobility, and expands workforce participation through affordable childcare. The Institute has therefore urged the Executive to prioritise and consider the following issues as part of its Budget setting process:  The need for progress on entrepreneurial tax supports, How barriers in tax policy are impacting on the all island labour market, The economic benefits of activating the Assembly’s devolved powers on corporation tax, and The need for investment in affordable childcare.  Together these actions would increase productivity, stimulate job creation, and strengthen the region’s long term fiscal sustainability. These should therefore be considered as key objectives in the current budget setting process.  

After a month of no movement, the latest Finance Bill (officially titled Finance (No. 2) Bill 2024-26) has begun moving again following completion of Committee stage last month. A number of  government amendments were tabled last week ahead of report stage and the Bill’s third reading. This is scheduled for Wednesday 11 March 2026 during which these amendments will be debated and are expected to be agreed. The tabled amendments cover a wide variety of areas and include the planned changes to Inheritance Tax for unused pension pots and agricultural property relief and business property relief, the tax treatment of carried interest, and temporary non-residence of individuals, amongst others.

Revenue has made several updates to its guidance on donations to approved sport bodies to reflect a number of Finance Act 2025 changes. The changes are as follows: Paragraph 3 now includes a reference to the inclusion of an approved project number on the certificate issued by the Minister of Culture, Communications and Sport. Paragraph 5.1.2 has been updated as follows: It notes that when a self-assessed individual chooses to either claim the personal tax relief on the donation or to surrender the relief to the approved sports body, this decision is irrevocable, when claiming the relief personally the individual must provide the approved project number and (if available) the unique receipt number on their Form 11, and To clarify that a donation under section 847A TCA 1997 is not taken into account in calculating “net relevant earnings” for purposes of the individual’s maximum tax relieved pension contribution to occupational schemes, RACs, PRSAs and PEPPs. Paragraph 5.2.2 has been updated to give the same updates for PAYE-only taxpayers as are given in Paragraph 5.1.2 for self-assessed individuals. Paragraph 6 has been reviewed to state that receipts issued for relevant donations by an approved sports body must also include the approved project number and unique receipt number.

It may be the time for some spring cleaning, however last week’s Spring Forecast was little more than a light dusting when the Chancellor set out in her speech to the House of Commons details of the latest economic and fiscal forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Just days after conflict erupted again in the Middle East, one could be forgiven for arguing that the forecasts are already out of date, albeit the OBR did recognise in its forecasts that significant risks from the conflict could impact the UK economy. Nevertheless, last week the Chancellor kept to her pledge that there would be no tax or policy announcements on the day of the forecast. However, in her speech the Chancellor highlighted that her second Mais lecture, which is expected to take place next week, will set out three major choices ‘that will determine the course of our economy into the future’. The Institute reacted to the Spring Forecast in a Press Release which overall calls on the UK Government to address the tax barriers that are hampering business growth in the UK. After the fiasco in November when the OBR’s economic and fiscal outlook was leaked before the Chancellor’s Autumn 2025 Budget speech, HM Treasury (HMT) was taking no chances that this would happen again when they published the OBR’s forecasts first on GOV.UK. This may mean a permanent move for future fiscal events by HMT to publish the OBR’s forecasts on GOV.UK. The Institute for Fiscal Studies and Institute for Government have both published their responses to the Spring Forecast. Meanwhile, the Treasury Committee has opened an inquiry into the Spring Forecast, with the Chancellor scheduled to provide oral evidence later this week. In other fiscal events news, the House of Commons Library has published an updated research briefing on the Budget and the annual Finance Bill. The briefing examines the way that Parliament scrutinises the Government’s proposals for taxation set out in the annual Budget statement. A research briefing has also been published by the Library on the Spring Forecast. On the devolved nations front, last week the Scottish Government published the Scottish Budget which sets out its proposed spending and tax plans for 2026/27 as presented to Holyrood. 

Revenue has updated its guidance on Expression of Doubt (Full Self-Assessment ) IT/CT/CGT with an additional section outlining that in cases where a taxpayer has made a genuine expression of doubt, the extended tax due date applies to the matter on which doubt has been expressed. A Finance Act 2025 change provides that the due date for the payment of tax is to be determined in isolation on a second or subsequent amendment of the assessment. The means that where an assessment is amended for the first time after a genuine expression of doubt and that assessment is subsequently amended again for whatever reason, the tax due and payable will not benefit from the extended due date for payment under 949AU(2) TCA 1997 and instead reverts to the original due date. Interest and penalties, where applicable, will also be applied from the original due date. Section four now incorporates material previously contained in a footnote, explaining that expressions of doubt are not available where a chargeable person is unsure of an individual’s employed or self‑employed status.

Revenue has archived its guidance titled Residential Tenancies Board: Rental Income and Interest Relief. The content has instead been amalgamated into the Registration of tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board (interest deduction from rental income) guidance.

Revenue has updated its guidance on the games and sports bodies exemption to note that, following a Finance Act 2025 change, the relevant date for applying the exemption under section 235 TCA 1997 is the date Revenue approves the exemption application . The guidance has also been updated to confirm that the requirement for a majority of directors or officers of a sports body to be resident in the State in no longer a qualifying condition for approval of the exemption. The following updates have also been made to the guidance: Paragraph seven provides further details on the exemptions available for sporting bodies under other taxes,   Paragraph eight has been updated to confirm that tax relief is available under section 847A TCA 1997 for donations to sporting bodies for certain projects as defined in that section, and   Paragraph nine, confirms that tax relief is available under section 847AA TCA 1997 for donations to certain National Governing Bodies (NGBs) as defined in that section.

CFE Tax Advisers Europe has published a Charter of Tax Advisers’ Rights and Obligations in an AI-Influenced Tax-Advisory Environment, setting out guiding principles for the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence in tax advisory work. The Charter seeks to ensure that fundamental professional and ethical standards remain robust and effective in an AI-enabled tax ecosystem.

Revenue has published a comprehensively revised Employers Guide to PAYE with many of the sections being updated and additional examples being provided throughout the guide. Details of the updated sections are outlined in Revenue eBrief No. 043/26.

The European Commission has introduced a new course on the special cross-border VAT scheme for small enterprises. The course aims to educate participants about the cross-border scheme, to assist in understanding the registration procedure, and ensuring VAT compliance obligations are met.