Summer Mini-Blitz (ROI/NI) 2025

Format

Who should attend

This course is suitable for accountants, and other business professionals, at all levels and from all sectors, given the scope of the sessions.

The CPD Summer Mini-Blitz reflects the style and format of our end of year CPD Blitz series with short and focused sessions.

Course overview

Plenary sessions:

• Economic Update - (Kate English – Chief Economist, Deloitte)
• Panel Discussion: Trade and Tariffs
   Tony Buckley - Former Head of Customs, Revenue Commissioners
   Lorraine Nelson - Partner and Head of Tax, BDO NI

Join us for a panel discussion on the changing regulatory landscape and associated implications for businesses and an overview of latest trading to and from Northern Ireland, what the UK and EU trade deal will mean for doing business in Northern Ireland.

• Leadership and Performance under pressure  – (Ray Goggins,  former Special Forces Operator and bestselling author)
  Ray has been building and leading teams and acquired key skills to encourage people to change their mindset. His aim is to help push them to be the very best version of themselves
• Financial Reporting Updates – (Brian Murphy, Deloitte)
  Get up to date with the latest developments in financial reporting at this fast-paced session which will include a review of the key changes from FRED 82, practical insights and Illustrative examples in conjunction with an overview of other areas and the transitional requirements. We will also provide an update on CSRD regulation.

ROI Stream

• General Taxation Update 2025- Mairead Hennessey (TaxKey) - Mairéad will deliver a fast-paced session on the latest developments and updates across the main tax headings in 2025.
• General Company Law Update 2025 – John Darby (Solicitor) - John will be delivering a whistle-stop tour of the most important developments and changes in company law over the last 6 months.

NI Stream

• Taxation Update 2025 - Tom Penman (Tax and Training Ltd)
  Tom will deliver a fast-paced session on the latest developments and updates across the main tax headings in 2025.
• General Company Law Update 2025 - Nicholas Compton (Barrister at law)
  Nicholas will be delivering a whistle-stop tour of the most important developments and changes in company law over the last 6 months.

Key learning outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to

• Recognise some of the current issues impacting accountants and business professionals today.
• Understand how recent key technical updates will impact themselves and their businesses.

Speaker Bio

Joe Carroll – Head of Professional Development, Chartered Accountants Ireland

Joe has worked for Chartered Accountants Ireland over 15 years and is currently Head of Professional Development.
He graduated from UCD with a BA Hons in Medieval and Modern History Diploma and subsequently continued his education completing a Diploma in Executive Coaching from Irish Management Institute, a MSc Education Leadership from Dublin City University, a Certificate in Adult Guidance and Counselling, Maynooth University and a HDip Education Studies, University College Dublin and a Certificate in Technology Risk and Data Incident Management.

Kate English – Chief Economist, Deloitte

Kate English is Deloitte Ireland’s Chief Economist. Kate and her team will conduct data-driven research across broader economic and policy areas, offering analysis and assessing macroeconomic trends within Ireland and its key trading markets. Kate is a recognised commentator on global macroeconomic trends, fiscal policy, capital markets, demographics and employment trends. She frequently presents market updates and panel discussions across national broadcast and print media. Prior to joining Deloitte, Kate served as an Economist with Cushman & Wakefield Ireland and held the position of Senior Economist with Sherry FitzGerald. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and French from University College Cork.

Tony Buckley – Former Head of Customs, Revenue Commissioners

Tony is an experienced customs consultant providing advice and support to businesses in all customs-related aspects of trade, including optimum and compliant supply chain design, technical advice on customs law, and support in dealing with customs authorities.  He designs and delivers training courses for several companies and educational institutions including Chartered Accountants Ireland.  He is currently Chair of Customs Knowledge Institute, an international network of customs professionals.
Tony’s previous career was in the Irish Civil Service, from which he retired as head of Revenue’s Customs Division.

Lorraine Nelson, Head of Tax, Partner BDO NI

Lorraine, a Partner in Tax team is a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) in both the UK and Ireland and is a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA). She has also completed her Advanced Diploma in International Tax (ADIT). Lorraine has 15 years’ experience from training in general practice to becoming a corporate tax specialist in a large firm in Belfast which allows her to provide her clients with commercially driven tax advice. She has considerable experience in providing UK tax services for global groups and liaising with decision makers based in the UK, Republic of Ireland, mainland Europe and the US. Over recent years she has led the delivery of wide-ranging tax advice including mergers and acquisitions, tax due diligence, international tax, transfer pricing, strategic global business structuring and corporate simplifications. Lorraine regularly presents on topical tax issues to both professional bodies and local Chambers of Commerce. She also provides articles to the local media and has authored numerous pieces for leading tax publications.

Ray Goggins, Former Special Forces Operator and bestselling author

Ray Goggins is a former Special Forces Operator and bestselling author – you may know him as the Chief Instructor on RTE’s hit show, Ultimate Hell Week or more recently, RTE's Uncharted with Ray Goggins. Over the past 30 years, Ray has been building and leading teams and acquired key skills to encourage people to change their mindset. His aim is to help push them to be the very best version of themselves.

Brian Murphy, Deloitte

Brian is an Audit & Assurance (A & A) Partner in Deloitte Ireland. Brian leads the firms’ Deloitte Private audit and assurance offering. Brian works predominantly with the firms’ largest privately owned businesses, both private equity backed and family owned but also has experience with public interest entities including PCAOB clients. He is also Lead Partner for Ireland’s Best Managed Companies programme. Brian is a Board Member of Council for Chartered Accountants Ireland and is the Chair of the Professional Development Committee and a member of the Education Board. Brian lectures and presents extensively on a range of topics including audit, financial accounting/reporting and finance on behalf of Chartered Accountants Ireland. Brian is past Chair of Chartered Accountants Ireland Leinster Society and past Chair of CA Support.

ROI Stream

Mairéad Hennessy

Mairead founded TaxKey in 2016 as a tax practice that works closely with accountants, solicitors and financial advisors to deliver strategic and proactive tax solutions for Irish businesses and their owners. Mairéad specialises in delivering bespoke tax solutions to SME owners on matters including business succession planning, optimising corporate structures, personal retirement and estate planning, Irish gift and inheritance tax, property transactions and VAT. Mairéad is passionate about delivering the highest quality tax advice in a practical, timely and confidential manner. Mairéad is a Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA AITI) and Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland (FCA) and holds a Bachelor of Business and Law (BBLS) from UCD and a Masters in Accounting (MAcc) from the Michaels Smurfit School of Business. Prior to setting up TaxKey, Mairéad held tax roles in a “Big 4” accountancy practice, a top 5 Irish law firm, a small accountancy firm and most recently headed up the tax function in a large Irish corporate group.

John Darby - Solicitor

John Darby is a senior legal counsel with PM Group.  He graduated with an Honours BCL law degree from University College Dublin in 1994 and was admitted as a solicitor in Ireland in 1997.  John has advised both domestic and international companies in all aspects of corporate and commercial law across the full lifecycle of business and in diverse sectors including project management, construction, retail, media, hospitality, healthcare, financial services and entertainment.
John is a lecturer in Business Law at the Law Society of Ireland.

NI Stream

Tom Penman Tax and Training Ltd

Tom specialises in complex tax planning, structuring groups of companies, international tax, enquiries, providing tax efficient succession and inheritance tax planning and deals with all aspects of income tax and capital gains tax

Nicholas Compton (Barrister at Law)

Nicholas Compton was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2015 and am currently accepting instructions in all practice areas.
Nicolas's practice is largely focussed on civil litigation in the County Court and High Court. I have particular experience of commercial disputes, land and property disputes, matters relating to individual and corporate insolvency, and company and partnership disputes. I also have experience of acting in Judicial Review proceedings, and appear for both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injuries claims

Note for Legacy CPA Members

Members who joined Chartered Accountants Ireland following the amalgamation on 1 September, please contuine to book on the CPA Portal here to ensure you receive your member discount.

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding this or any other CPD course or requirements, please feel free to contact the team here or call us at (+353) 01 523 3930