The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has updated its Guidance on the Strategic Report. The Guidance, which was first published in 2014, is designed to help UK entities meet their reporting requirements to prepare a Strategic Report under the Companies Act 2006. As well as companies, the Guidance is also relevant to other entities such as limited liability partnerships and qualifying partnerships that are required to prepare a strategic report. The updated guidance supersedes the previous edition of the guidance issued in June 2022 and incorporates the following; Various changes in the corporate reporting framework including the Corporate Governance Code 2024, the Companies (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2024, the Companies Directors’ Report (Payment Reporting) Regulations 2025 and other developments in sustainability-related and wider corporate reporting practice Changes which emphasise the status of the guidance. Mandatory requirements are clearly indicated and distinguished from good practice guidance in the updated document Updates which emphasise the purpose and objectives of reporting and communication principles Structural improvements to the Guidance which should make it easier to navigate and more accessible. Sections are now ordered by general principle instead of by entity type The scoping tables are now published as a separate document  

The latest Finance Bill, which is officially titled Finance (No. 2) Bill 2024-26, continues its progress through the parliamentary process. The Bill will eventually become Finance Act 2026. Last week the Bill completed Committee Stage on 6 February and is now at Report Stage, the final stage where amendments can be made. Report Stage, the date for which has not yet been set, will be followed by Third Reading in the House of Commons before the Bill moves on to the House of Lords. At Public Bill Committee stage, a range of amendments were made to the Bill details of which are set out in a policy paper published last month. The amendments to the Bill to increase the £1 million allowance for agricultural property relief and business property relief to £2.5 million were previously debated and agreed during the Committee of the Whole House debates which took place on 12 and 13 January 2026.

Last week we highlighted that the 2025 Autumn Budget launched a Call for Evidence on tax supports for entrepreneurs to which the Institute will be responding. This is focused on how UK tax policy can better support investment in innovative high growth companies. There’s still time to share your views on this issue. Contact us by email before close of business on Monday 16 February 2026 to participate. In the Call for Evidence, which is open until 28 February 2026, the Government’s view is that a shortfall in domestic scale-up capital is causing some of the UK’s most innovative companies and founders to move abroad. To address the issue, views are sought on: how effective existing tax supports are, any gaps in the tax system for founders and scaling companies, and options and ideas to improve, rebalance, and better target current supports that would allow the Government to fill these gaps where needed.  A number of changes were made to several of the UK’s tax advantaged venture capital schemes in the 2025 Autumn Budget which aim to enable larger and more established companies to continue to qualify to use the schemes. However, the Call for Evidence notes that these changes “take the existing schemes as far as possible within their current design”. As a result, the government is keen to consider how it could provide more targeted and effective support which also represents good value for money for the taxpayer.   

HMRC is seeking expressions of interest from agents who would like to contribute to the development of a journey that accurately reflects the key challenges they face when supporting clients through VAT and Self-Assessment setup. This work will be focused on the early stages of the journey; i.e. awareness, education, and registration. By actively engaging with agents, HMRC’s aim is to ensure the journey is a true and accurate representation of real taxpayer and agent experiences. Although HMRC recognises that agents already provide valuable feedback via various channels, this particular initiative offers an additional opportunity to collaborate with HMRC to identify process improvements and enhance the overall taxpayer experience. Any agent wishing to express an interest in participating should email customerengagementforums@hmrc.gov.uk  by 17 February 2026.

In this week’s detailed miscellaneous updates which you can read more about below, HMRC has sent information about the removal of certain employment expenses and higher rate gift aid relief as a result of its annual coding process, and the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (XST) has made a statement to Parliament on the reform of Pillar Two. HMRC has also asked us to highlight an increase in suspicious activity concerning email scams targeting agents. In other news this week: Edition 3 of HMRC’s Ready Steady File!, the newsletter which provides the latest information on its Making Tax Digital for income tax testing programme, was published last month, The House of Commons Library has published a research briefing ‘Taxation of state pension’, The minutes from the most recent meeting of the Guidance Strategy Forum are available, The latest schedule of HMRC Talking Points live and recorded webinars for tax agents are available for booking. Spaces are limited, so take a look now and save your place, and Check HMRC’s online services availability page for details of planned downtime and the online services affected. Annual coding process HMRC has sent the below information on its annual coding process which has removed employment expenses and gift aid higher rate relief from selected taxpayers from April 2026.   Employment expenses For taxpayers that have employment expenses over £120 coded (i.e. their tax code has been increased for these), their codes have been amended from 2026/27 to remove these if they meet one of the following criteria: they have no current PAYE income, or there is an employment gap of a full tax year since the employment expense was claimed, or they have not had any self-assessment (SA) footprint since 2021/22, or the employment expenses within their code are higher than their 2022/23 SA return. If HMRC has data that indicates that the taxpayer’s circumstances have changed since they applied for relief for employment expenses, HMRC is taking action to correct that tax code. Higher rate gift aid relief For taxpayers that have higher rate gift aid relief coded, their codes have been amended to remove the relief from 2026/27 if they meet all of the following criteria:    the same amount of gift aid relief has been coded for at least three years, and  there has been no SA footprint for at least three years.  As the amount coded has not changed for at least three years, HMRC’s view is that it is highly unlikely that the taxpayer has claimed or confirmed this relief via telephone, webchat, or in writing. This is because HMRC’s research indicates that the majority of regular charitable donations do not continue beyond 12 to 18 months.   If the taxpayer believes that they remain entitled to gift aid higher rate relief and/or employment expenses from 2026/27 and that these should not have been removed from their tax code, they should contact HMRC directly to discuss.   Pillar Two reforms The XST Dan Tomlinson has made a statement to Parliament which welcomes the package of reforms to Pillar Two which was approved recently by the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS. In the statement the XST said that these bring “certainty and stability” for UK businesses. The statement also confirms that measures to amend the UK’s Pillar Two will be subject to technical consultation and will then be brought forward in the next Finance Bill. Any changes will apply for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026. Email scams targeting agents HMRC has asked us to highlight a current email scam which specifically targets tax agents. The email claims to be from HMRC and asks the recipient to update their anti-money laundering supervision registration details. HMRC’s advice is to always protect yourself from scams by accessing HMRC’s online services for tax agents directly on GOV.UK. If you receive an unexpected phone call, text, or email claiming to be from HMRC, don’t let yourself be rushed. Before sharing any personal information, take a moment to check GOV.UK to see if the contact is genuine. HMRC will only ever email you from an email address that ends in gov.uk such as in the following examples: @hmrc.gov.uk, @tax.service.gov.uk, @advice.hmrc.gov.uk, and @updates.hmrc.gov.uk. Gov.uk will only feature at the end of an email address, and never in the middle. If you’ve received a suspicious email, text, or phone call please report it to HMRC by: forwarding text messages to 60599, forwarding emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, or visiting GOV.UK to report a phone call.

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. The Government’s Borders Directorate Communications team has also sent a reminder email about the European Commission’s announcement in December of intensified controls and checks on food, animal and plant products entering the EU.  Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows: CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Imports, UK Trade Tariff: duty suspensions and autonomous tariff quotas, Appendix 1: DE 1/10: Requested and Previous Procedure Codes of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), Report a problem using the Customs Declaration Service, Appendix 2: DE 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), Search the register of customs agents and express operators, What you can do if things are seized by HMRC or Border Force, Bringing commercial goods into Great Britain in your baggage, Simplified rates for bringing personal goods into the UK, External temporary storage facilities codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service, and Maritime ports and wharves location codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service.  

Welcome to the latest edition of Technical Roundup.  In developments since the last edition, the Central Bank of Ireland has published its Climate Observatory which provides an annual update on climate-related financial and non-financial metrics using a combination of internal analytics and external data sources. The Financial Reporting Council has issued updated Guidance on the Strategic Report, intended to help prepare a strategic report in accordance with the Companies Act 2006. Read more on these and other developments that may be of interest to members below.  Financial Reporting The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has issued updated Guidance on the Strategic Report. The guidance is intended to help prepare a strategic report in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 and has been revised following a comprehensive periodic review, with amendments made to reflect changes to the reporting framework (including changes to the disclosure requirements in the Companies Act 2006 relating to directors' reports and the UK Corporate Governance Code 2024). The FRC noted that it expects to make further amendments to the guidance to reflect any changes to reporting requirements resulting from the Department of Business and Trade's ongoing 'Modernising Corporate Reporting' programme. The FRC is hosting a series of Digital Reporting outreach events in March and May 2026, aimed at supporting improved understanding of digital reporting using XBRL and the UK taxonomies. The FRC has also issued guidance to support actuaries in dealing with historic amendments to pension rules. This has been published prior to the upcoming legislation to address the industry-wide uncertainty raised by the “Virgin Media v NTL Pension Trustees” case. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has published its January 2026 update as well as an addendum to the November 2025 IFRIC update. The UK Endorsement Board has published its 2026 Work Plan. Auditing and Assurance  IAASA issued a consultation seeking stakeholders’ views on proposed narrow scope revisions to the International Standards on Auditing (Ireland) and the International Standards on Quality Management (Ireland). The proposed revisions reflect changes made to the international standards by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). The closing date for responses to the consultation is Friday 3 April 2026. The IAASB and International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) launched a joint global stakeholder survey inviting stakeholders worldwide to participate in the survey. This is the first step in developing each board’s Strategy and Work Plan (SWP) for the 2028–2031 period. The survey is open until 15 May 2026. Insolvency The Institute is hosting three in-person sessions which will provide an introduction to the new Creditor Voluntary Liquidation workbook. The workbook has been produced to assist Liquidators in complying with legislative and SIP requirements when conducting statutory meetings, reporting to creditors and approval of remuneration. The sessions will also cover compliance matters and will include potential issues and problems that can arise and how to avoid or best navigate these. It will also include some practical examples and a Q&A session. The sessions are targeted at professionals taking on insolvency appointments and acting as Liquidator, and those training or working in the insolvency sector looking to gain expertise in this area.   Each of these three-hour sessions are free to attend and will take place on the following dates: Tuesday, 3 March at 1pm CorkBook Now Wednesday, 4 March at 9am Galway Book now Thursday, 5 March at 9amDublin Book now Sustainability  Accountancy Europe has issued two factsheets regarding the Omnibus Directive outlining the changes occurring following the amendments of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). These two papers aim to provide stakeholders with an overview of the key changes to sustainability reporting and assurance thereon, as well as due diligence requirements across Europe. Accountancy Europe has also issued its January 2026 Sustainability update. The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) has launched a series of three educational videos to support SMEs in complying with the VSME disclosure requirements. These videos will assist SMEs in understanding the supporting guides released in December 2025. For readers who are interested in learning more about the VSME standard, EFRAG are continuing to add new material to their VSME Ecosystem which contains useful guides, templates, videos and case studies. EFRAG has also released a conference report from its conference “EFRAG unveils Draft Simplified ESRS: A European Milestone for Sustainability Reporting”. This includes recordings, slides and other conference materials. The Financial Conduct Authority has issued a consultation ‘CP26/5: Aligning listed issuers’ sustainability disclosures with international standards’. This proposes to replace current climate‑disclosure rules with proportionate new requirements that align reporting with international standards, ensure investors receive clear, consistent and reliable information on sustainability risks and opportunities and improve transparency for overseas issuers while reducing unnecessary duplication. The consultation closes on Friday 20 March 2026. The Department of Business and Trade (UK) (DBT) has published the outcome of its consultation on proposals for an oversight regime for assurance of sustainability-related financial disclosures. The UK government has stated that, in response to the feedback, it will move forward with plans to establish a voluntary, profession agnostic oversight regime for sustainability assurance in the UK. The FRC will be responsible for implementation and oversight, which in time, will be underpinned by legislation, and eligibility criteria will be developed, and guidance will be issued by them in due course. The register will be public, allowing registered practitioners to signal to the market they that have the relevant skills and experience for providing assurance services, as well as demonstrating their adherence to technical and ethical standards. The regime is designed for practitioners who primarily conduct sustainability assurance engagements to larger entities, typically those captured by the Companies Act, the UK Listing Rules (UKLRs), and the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) and Chartered Accountants Ireland are partnering to host a webinar on Thursday 12 March - ‘Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: What you need to know’. Learn how CBAM currently operates and what its implementation is revealing in practice. Register here to attend. The European Commission updated its request to CEAOB on limited assurance sustainability standards asking the CEAOB to re-focus on the preparation of technical advice for the development of EU specific add-ons (and possible carve-outs) to ISSA 5000 to support the preparation of the Delegated Act adopting limited assurance sustainability standards. IAASA has released a new episode of its Insights podcast on Ireland’s first year of CSRD reporting. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has released a new case study series entitled “ESG Reporting in Action”. This case study looks at how licensed tools and software are helping companies manage sustainability data. GRI has also issued its quarterly standards update. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has issued its January 2026 update and podcast. Anti-money laundering The EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) announced that it will launch a data collection exercise to test and calibrate its risk assessment models for the financial sector. The exercise, set to start in March, is being conducted in close cooperation with national supervisors and the private sector. It represents a preparatory step towards AMLA’s direct supervision. The data collection will involve two groups of financial institutions including those that may be eligible for AMLA’s direct supervision, and a representative sample of entities likely to remain under national supervision. The changes announced by the European Union regarding its high risk jurisdictions list in December 2025 entered into force on 29 January 2026. This list highlights jurisdictions identified as having strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT regimes. Members are reminded that they are obliged to carefully consider business relationships and transactions involving high-risk third countries through increased customer due diligence checks and control measures. The UK government’s sanctions list changed to a single list on Wednesday 28 January 2026. UK sanctions designations are now only detailed in the UK Sanctions List (UKSL), published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) list has been withdrawn and is no longer in use. The UK government has published guidance for businesses and industry regarding this change. AMLA published its Single Programming Document (SPD) for 2026-2028. This document outlines priorities and timelines as AMLA moves from foundation to delivery. It contains AMLA’s work programme, provides a roadmap for the market, and gives an overview of scheduled mandates for 2026 and AMLA’s strategic objectives. Several supporting documents have also been published including the associated press release, an explainer on the SPD, and the list of 2026 mandates. Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) published its Climate Observatory, which provides an annual update on climate-related financial and non-financial metrics using a combination of internal analytics and external data sources. It includes an evidence-based view of climate science, progress on decarbonisation, and evolving financial risks. The CBI has also published a summary of the report. The CBI's Governor Gabriel Makhlouf published his latest Blog, which focuses on the role of the economics profession during times of major upheaval and how this affects the work of the CBI. Artificial Intelligence (AI) The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) published the General Scheme of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026. The General Scheme includes details of the distributed model of competent authorities for the AI Act, which include leveraging established sectoral regulatory authorities. In addition, it includes a proposal to establish a new statutory independent body called the AI Office of Ireland, which will act as the Single Point of Contact and central coordinating authority for the implementation and enforcement of the EU AI Act in the State. The General Scheme also provides for the empowerment of Competent Authorities, and rules on penalties for infringement of the Act. Cybersecurity  The NCSC in the UK published a blog regarding guidance and tools to support cloud security posture management (CSPM) which is  a category of security tools designed to continuously monitor, assess and improve the security posture of cloud environments. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) recently published its Single Programming Document for 2026-2028. This document outlines areas including multiannual planning, ENISA’s work programme for 2026, and multiannual staff planning. In addition, ENISA also published its stakeholder strategy for 2026-2028. Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) The CBI published information regarding the upcoming submission for financial entities to submit registers of information (RoI) in relation to all contractual arrangements on the use of ICT services provided by ICT third-party service providers in accordance with DORA article 28(3). Financial entities are required to submit their RoI, with a reporting date as of 31 December 2025, to the CBI via the Central Bank Portal during the window of 2 March to 31 March 2026. The CBI also updated the DORA frequently asked questions on its website. Financial returns for childcare core funding Core Funding is a grant scheme provided directly to Early Learning and Childcare service providers administered by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (the Department). Under the Core Funding Partner Service Agreement, all service providers that had an active core funding contract during the 1 September 2024 - 31 August 2025 programme year (Year 3) must engage a qualified professional accountant to submit a financial return.  The Department requires that these financial returns must be submitted by a qualified professional accountant. The accountant can be an employee of the provider (if certain conditions are met) or an independent qualified accountant who holds a practising certificate (PC) and professional indemnity insurance. For the 2024/2025 programme year (Year 3), accountants will need to submit a trial balance prepared at site level using accruals-based accounting. Submission of the trial balance prepared using accruals-based accounting is a change for Year 3 given returns submitted in Years 1 and 2 used cash-based accounting. The Department is currently finalising the www.cfcrrs.ie portal website and supporting guidance that will be used by accountants to submit the financial returns. It is planned that a trial balance section will be added to the portal and this section of the portal will need to be used by accountants for submitting the trial balance based on chart of accounts and nominal codes guidance issued by the Department. Chart of accounts and nominal codes guidance documents for Year 3 have been added to Department's Hive website. The provisional date currently planned for making the portal available to accountants is end of February 2026 and it is planned that there will be a four-week window for accountants to submit the financial returns. Further information will be shared with members via the Chartered Accountants Ireland Audit and Assurance section of the Technical Hub in the coming weeks once all guidance documents have been finalised by the Department. Other News The Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) released a new podcast called 'Enforceable'. The 'Enforceable' podcast focuses on what company law is all about and why it's so important to the economy. The first episode features the Director of Legal and Policy, David Hegarty, talking about who the CEA is, and the interesting work that they do.  The first episode is available on Spotify, Apple, Acast and Amazon. The CEA also published its Strategy Statement for 2026 - 2028. The overarching focus of the Strategy, the CEA's second, is on increased impact and added value. The CEA proposes to achieve this overarching objective through three principal strategies, namely by optimising the delivery of effective enforcement, empowering stakeholders, and investing in CEA's employees.  The CEA has recently issued the February 2026 edition of the CEA newsletter giving updates on its activities and news of the last three months. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published an update provided to the UK Government regarding progress towards commitments to boost the UK’s economy and foster economic growth setting out what the ICO is doing in 2026 to further enable growth across the UK. The UK’s ICO published a statement regarding the next phase of the Data (Use and Access) Act (DUAA) implementation, commencing on 5 February 2026. This means that most of the remaining data protection provisions of the Act have come into force, except for the requirement for organisations to have a complaints procedure, which is due to commence on 19 June 2026 and some ICO governance provisions which will follow at a later date.  DETE published the General Scheme of the Data Bill 2025. The EU Regulation known as the Data Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854) came into force in EU law on 11 January 2024 and became fully applicable in member states on 12 September 2025. While many of the obligations apply directly, it is necessary to give effect to some of the Data Act’s provisions with national legislative measures. The General Scheme sets out how the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) are designated as competent authorities for the Data Act, and how they will execute their powers and functions under the Regulation. The CCPC is also designated as the ‘Data Coordinator’. The European Commission updated its FAQ document regarding the EU Data Act. Accountancy Europe responded to the European Commission's Call for Evidence on Better Regulation. The response focuses on the key principles needed for the EU’s better regulation agenda including evidence-based policymaking, proportionality and simplification including SME considerations, transparency, stakeholder engagement, and legal certainty. The Pensions Authority has published the text of a speech made by the Pensions Regulator to the National Pensions Summit in January 2026. The speech covered the current pensions situation in Ireland in early 2026, the outlook and issues for pension and the Pensions Authority’s priorities and plans for the coming year. For further technical information and updates please visit the Technical Hub on the Institute website.         This information is provided as resources and information only and nothing in the information 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 information. 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 the information 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 herein.  

This week the Institute made an important submission to the Cost of Business Advisory Forum being run by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.  This round of consultation focussed on the reporting and compliance burdens that are placed on businesses. In the submission, the Institute argued that there was a need for a cross-Government simplification drive here in Ireland. The Institute outlined clear evidence of where the reporting and compliance obligations are overburdensome and overly complex. The difficulty in accessing Government supports and tax reliefs has been consistently raised by members and the Institute outlined clear cases where SMEs are discouraged from applying for certain supports due to the administrative burden involved. The Enhanced SME test is designed to sense check every proposal coming from Government to see if it is placing an undue and disproportionate burden on SMEs. Yet there is concern that this test is not being applied and the Institute outlined some key examples where this has been the case. On the tax side, the major issues facing businesses in relation to the Enhanced Reporting Requirements was highlighted in the submission in detail and the Institute called for a review of the real-time reporting requirement. It was also pointed out that the previous simplification process run by Revenue was too restrictive by only focussing on administrative issues and it did not extend to policy and legislative issues. From a European perspective, the Institute urged the Government to get behind the European Commission’s simplification agenda and to use its Presidency of the Council of the European Union to advance important files like the Digital Omnibus, the Tax Omnibus, the Savings and Investment Union and the 28th Regime. Following this submission, the Institute will be attending the next meeting of the Forum on 18 February 2026 which will focus on reporting and compliance, and the Institute will further articulate the need for a cross Government initiative to drive the simplification agenda.  

Chartered Accountants Ireland has partnered with Goodbody to publish the Investment Tax Guide 2026, which can be used as an ongoing reference to help consider the tax implications of specific investments.   Chartered Accountants Ireland and Goodbody launched the guide and hosted a webinar examining the landscape of investment taxation in Ireland. The panel discussion, moderated by Grant Sweetnam, Head of Public Policy at Chartered Accountants Ireland, featured Cróna Clohisey, Director of Members and Advocacy at Chartered Accountants Ireland, and Catriona Coady, Head of Tax at Goodbody, as panellists.  Over the hour, the panel unpacked a range of developments shaping the 2026 investment landscape. They explored the Government’s renewed focus on encouraging retail investment, including the commitments arising from the Funds Sector Review and the anticipated roadmap for simplifying Ireland’s complex retail investment tax framework. Cróna outlined how proposals such as removing the 8‑year deemed disposal rule on funds could support long‑term savers, while Catriona highlighted the implications of tax changes already announced for 2026 and how investors can navigate the current regime.  The panel also emphasised the critical role of financial literacy among adults, stressing that enhancing public understanding of investment and retirement planning must be a renewed government priority. This is particularly pressing as Ireland confronts the dual challenges of an ageing population and a shrinking workforce, which could threaten the sustainability of state pension payments in the years ahead.  The conversation also examined the EU’s Savings and Investment Union and what upcoming initiatives may mean for Irish households. With Ireland set to assume the EU Council Presidency later this year, the panel noted the opportunity to influence reforms that better align Ireland with its European peers.  You can read the guide here. .

From the Professional Accountancy team…... In January 2026 ,Chartered Accountants Ireland hosted an online webinar with the Central Bank of Ireland ,the Irish Revenue Commissioners  and the EU Sanctions Helpdesk on  the essentials of EU sanctions compliance, the support available to Irish businesses, and how the EU Sanctions Helpdesk assists SMEs. Content included some  real-world case studies and  a questions and answers session  with the panel.   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.    

Chartered Accountants Ireland and Goodbody invite you to a live webinar on Thursday, 5 February at 11am, where we will explore everything you need to know about investment taxes in Ireland in 2026. Cróna Clohisey, Director of Members and Advocacy at Chartered Accountants Ireland and Catriona Coady, Head of Tax at Goodbody, will share their insights on the evolving tax landscape. Moderated by Grant Sweetnam, Head of Public Policy at Chartered Accountants Ireland, the discussion will cover: Government initiatives to boost retail investment participation The EC Savings and Investment Union Key tax changes impacting Irish investments in 2026 Tax implications by investment vehicle Strategic approaches for investor portfolios There will be an opportunity for a Q&A with our expert panel at the end of the session. ‘Register today’ button: https://goodbody.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lqTsnMp9QHK2ldAbPNPwww#/registration

Comments by the Institute’s Head of Tax, Gearóid O’Sullivan, were included in an Irish Times article on proposed interest tax reforms.

The latest version of the annual average exchange rates has been updated to include the average market mid-closing rate of various currencies against the Euro for 2025.

The CESOP registration guidelines and guidance has been updated by Revenue to reflect the new agent and advisor e-linking application process and to include information on the procedure for de-registering from CESOP.

Revenue has created a new guidance document on the framework, scope, and objectives of the International Cooperation and Capacity Building (ICCD) unit that manages International Cooperation and Technical Assistance and Capacity Building (TACB) requests in Revenue.

Revenue has updated its guidance on the main purpose tests to explain the application of the 'reasonable to consider' test and to clarify how the objective tests should apply.  The guidance outlines that the essence of the ‘reasonable to consider’ test is to assess whether the taxpayer has genuinely considered the tax consequences of a transaction in the same manner as a reasonable taxpayer would do so. The objective ‘main purpose’ test applies to disclosures of a transaction under the mandatory disclosure regime and when assessing a transaction in light of the anti-avoidance provisions under section 811C TCA 1997. When applying a main purpose test, the guidelines outline that it is first necessary to determine if it is objective (what a reasonable man on the street would think) or subjective (what did the taxpayer actually have in mind).  

Revenue has updated its guidance on Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) to reflect the amendments provided for in Finance Act 2025. The main changes relate to the new provisions where landowners request rezoning of land, the exemption where landowners are precluded from developing land, and certain provisions relating to the due date for payment of liabilities in situations where liabilities arise after death.

Revenue has updated its guidance on the exemptions for certain profits specifically those arising from production, maintenance and repair of certain musical instruments and from the microgeneration of electricity by an individual at his or her sole or main residence to reflect an extension of these reliefs to 31 December 2028, as provided for by Finance Act 2025. The guidance on accelerated capital allowances for slurry storage facilities has also been updated to reflect the extension of the scheme to 31 December 2029.

Revenue has issued updated guidance on the taxation of unit trusts for pension schemes and charities – Exempt Unit Trusts (EUTs) to reflect a change introduced by Finance Act 2025. The change clarifies that, for the purposes of section 731(5) TCA 1997, an investment undertaking cannot treat a gain on selling units in an exempt unit trust as fully exempt from capital gains tax.

Revenue has updated the agents guide to the Collector General’s division to include new guidance relating to the Vacant Homes Tax and to provide information on the calculation of a Local Property Tax charge based on the property’s valuation as of 1 November 2025. Paragraph 15 of the guidance has been updated to reflect the requirements under Companies Act 2014 in respect of company addresses. This paragraph also includes instructions for updating addresses on ROS and confirms that all requests for a change of address must be submitted through ROS for information security purposes.