As our workplaces continue to evolve and transform, the boundaries between digital and physical workspaces are becoming increasingly blurred. This European Week for Safety and Health at Work (21-15 October 2025) invites us to pause and reflect on what it means to stay safe and healthy in this new digital era. This year’s theme, “Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age”, highlights both the opportunities and challenges brought by the pace of digital transformation – from flexible working and automation to AI, hybrid communication, and the ever-present digital tools that enable us to connect and collaborate at speed. We can all attest to the fact that digitalisation is reshaping the workplace, not just by creating opportunities, but also by introducing new risks and challenges for employees such as isolation, increased pace of work, and fear of being left behind by AI.  While digitalisation has brought convenience, connectivity, and innovation, it has also introduced new psychosocial consequences.  The constant flow of information has blurred work-life boundaries, and social interactions through screens can impact focus, identity and wellbeing.  Understanding these dynamics is essential to creating health digital workplaces where people can thrive. Exploring the Cyber Psychology of Digital Wellbeing As part of this important week, Thrive and the Institute's Members team hosted a lunchtime webinar on cyberpsychology with Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton, who shed light on the myths and realities of screen time, social media, AI, and wellbeing.  The session explored how online spaces affect and shape our identity, behaviours and wellbeing and delved into key questions such as: How does online communication influence how we see ourselves and others? What are the psychological effects of constant connectivity and digital fatigue? How can individual and organisations build resilience and balance in an always-on culture? Through this discussion we were reminded that digital wellbeing is not just about managing screen time – it’s about understanding how digital environments shape our emotions, relationships and performance. Building a safe and health digital future As we look ahead, fostering digital wellbeing must remain a shared responsibility.  Organisations can promote a safer digital culture by: Encouraging healthy online habits and boundaries. Designing systems that support focus, privacy and autonomy. Promoting open conversations about digital stress and overload. Providing training on digital literacy and responsible technology use. By embracing these principles, we can ensure that digitalisation empowers rather than overwhelms – creating workplaces where technology enhances wellbeing, not hinders it. Let’s use this European Week for Safety and Health at Work as a reminder that a truly healthy workplace is one that protects not only our physical safety but also our digital and psychological wellbeing. Thrive is the Institute's wellbeing hub that provides access to a range of free wellbeing supports. For more advice or information, contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294. 

Following its consultation on reforming the UK’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) supervisory regime, the Government has communicated its decision to professional body supervisors (PBSs) to proceed with the creation of a single professional services supervisor. The Financial Conduct Authority will assume responsibility for supervising legal, accountancy and trust and company service providers for AML/CTF purposes. It is therefore the UK Government's intention that the Institute, and other PBSs, will cease to be UK AML supervisors in due course.  It is intended that there will be a transition period, during which the professional bodies will work with HM Treasury and the FCA with regard to the transfer of supervisory responsibilities. The date of transfer of responsibilities has not yet been communicated.   The Institute will consider the full consultation response published by HM Treasury today and, with the other accountancy sector PBSs, will engage with HM Treasury and FCA in relation to the future of the UK AML supervision regime for accountants. In responding to earlier consultations on reform of the AML supervision regime in the UK, the Institute has previously expressed concerns about proposals to move to a single professional services supervisor. The Institute is awaiting more information in relation to this government decision, and we will keep you informed as we receive this.  There is no immediate change for firms currently supervised for AML in the UK by the Institute.  The Institute will support firms through changes arising in relation to the UK AML supervision regime. Further information can be found here.

Chartered Accountants Ireland has responded to the Financial Reporting Council's (FRC's) invitation to comment on the Practice Note (PN) Guidance for audits of smaller and/or less complex entities in the UK.  The FRC launched a consultation on a PN to support auditors in the application of International Standards of Auditing (ISAs) UK when auditing smaller and/or less complex entities. This consultation is part of the FRC’s year-long SME campaign.  As a general overarching point, Chartered Accountants Ireland does support the development of additional guidance in principle as small and medium-sized practices (SMPs) need to be able to apply ISAs UK in a scalable and proportionate manner given current challenges experienced in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) audit market. A key element of our response outlines that a more preferrable course of action (rather than introduction of a PN) would be to begin the process to adopt the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) International Standard on Auditing for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities (‘ISA for LCE’), with public consultation on adoption of the ISA for LCE being a necessary step in the process.  Chartered Accountants Ireland has also responded to specific FRC consultation questions outlining enhancements and changes needed to the current version of the PN.  The main item we highlight throughout our response to the consultation relates to the fact that the PN, in its current form, is difficult to apply and use due to the lack of alignment mapping to the underlying ISAs, which would aid ease of reference when navigating the ISAs and would help SMPs apply ISAs in a more scalable and proportionate manner. In addition, we have recommended certain enhancements to the PN content and wording including examples provided in the PN to support SMPs with implementing the guidance more effectively and proportionately particularly in the context of the following ISAs: ISA (UK) 315 Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement ISA (UK) 240 Fraud ISA (UK) 500 Audit Evidence ISA (UK) 570 Going Concern ISA (UK) 540 Estimates ISA (UK) 330 Auditor’s Responses to Assessed Risks ISA (UK) 600 Special Considerations - Audits of Group Financial Statements (Including the Work of Component Auditors) Revised Ethical Standard 2024

Revenue has advised that Government Networks are performing essential maintenance for two hours commencing before midnight on Friday 24 October 2025 during which ROS services will be unavailable. Date of upgrade: Friday 24 October  Time: 11:59pm on Friday 24 October to 02:00am on Saturday 25 October  Expected downtime: Up to two hours Affected services: Internet access across Government networks.

The Department of Finance published the Draft Budgetary Plan 2026 (DBP) last week which is required to be submitted to the European Commission and the Eurogroup by mid-October, in line with EU Regulation (EU) 473/2013 of the European Parliament and Council. The DBP is consistent with Budget 2026, which was presented on the 7 October 2025. The DBP notes that a general government surplus of 1.6 percent of GDP is expected for this year and a general government surplus of 0.8 percent of GDP is projected for next year. The debt-to-GDP ratio is forecast at 33.0 percent of GDP at the end of this year. The ratio is projected to fall to 32.4 percent of GDP next year, partly reflecting the impact of strong nominal GDP growth. The projections reflect the macroeconomic impact of policy measures introduced in Budget 2026, and the macroeconomic forecasts upon which the Budget is based have been endorsed by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

Revenue has updated its guidance for Individuals described as ‘locums’ engaged in the fields of medicine, health care, pharmacy and ‘dental associates’ engaged in the field of dentistry providing additional information for dental associates. The guidance has been updated as follows: The title of the guidance now includes ‘dental associates’ engaged in the field of dentistry.  Section 1 has been updated to expand the purpose of the guidance to include Revenue's position regarding the employment status for taxation purposes of dental associates.  Section 3 has been amended to provide guidance on determination of employment status for taxation purposes of dental associates and dental hygienists.  Section 4 now contains information regarding incorporation of locum practices.  Section 5 has been updated to include reference to the publication of the revised joint Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status. In addition, section 5 has been amended to include the link to the VAT Treatment of Dental Services Manual. Section 6 has been updated and amended to include an additional question relating to tax treatment of payments made to dental associates. 

Revenue has issued a note, through the TALC Collections subcommittee, which provides additional information for the completion of the new panels on the Form CT1 in relation to section 299 leases. The note provides additional clarification on the disclosure requirements for leases agreed with corporate lessors and corporate lessees. The note also outlines additional relevant points regarding capital gains and group relief.  Revenue has confirmed that the content in the note will also be incorporated into the CT1 2025 Tax and Duty Manual when published as a reminder to filers.

The guidance on the LPT clearance procedures on the sale or transfer of residential properties has been updated by Revenue, to reflect new LPT clearance rules, effective from 17 March 2025. The following additional information has also been included in the guidance: Valuation date and duration of valuation. Sale of 'new and unused' properties. Sale of exempt properties.  Termination of deferral arrangements.  Properties sold by local authorities and approved housing bodies.  Penalties for non-compliance.  Sample of a Property History Summary (PHS).

Revenue has published updated guidance on the recoupment of overpayments of salary by an employer from an employee to include additional information and clarifications. Section 2 has been updated to include relevant content from three paragraphs previously referenced in other parts of the manual. A new example regarding 'Recoupment spanning a number of years’ has been included in section 3. Section 4 provides clarification on the procedure for an employee making a claim for a repayment of tax and USC and includes a new paragraph 4.3 regarding PRSI refunds. Section 5 has been updated regarding the recoupment of salary overpayment following the death of an employee. Periodic updates to dates and tax rates have been made throughout the manual.

Finance Bill 2025 was published last Thursday, containing the draft legislation to give effect to the various measures announced on Budget Day. The Institute will be engaging with Revenue and the Department of Finance and other stakeholders this week to discuss this year’s Bill through our participation in the Business Tax Stakeholder Forum and the Tax Administration Liaison Forum. We will be reporting back with a full analysis of Finance Bill 2025 in our Tax Newsletter next Tuesday 28 October. You can read  this year’s Finance Bill here and the accompanying explanatory memorandum here.  

Revenue has updated its dedicated agent and advisor e-linking webpage to provide enhanced guidance for taxpayers regarding the e-linking process for agent-link requests. A support video for myAccount users, along with an Agent e-linking FAQ document, are now available on the dedicated webpage.

Revenue has updated its guidance on payments arising on termination of an office or employment or removal from an office or employment to reflect the impact of unpaid leave on the calculation of the average taxable emoluments figure for the Standard Capital Superannuation Benefit (SCSB) exemption. The SCSB exemption is based on average salary for the last 36 months of employment and in some cases, an employee may have taken unpaid leave for a period during the 36-month period prior to employment termination. The guidance explains that salary details from beyond the last 36 months can be used in the SCSB calculation, to determine the average annual taxable emoluments, provided the person didn’t receive any other taxable pay during unpaid leave. If the individual continued to receive a contribution to a pension scheme and no other emoluments, that period is not treated as unpaid leave for the calculation. The guidance outlines that examples of periods of unpaid leave include unpaid maternity leave, unpaid paternity leave or unpaid parental leave.

Revenue has updated the Pensions Manual – Useful Contacts guidance to include contact details for the Department of Social Protection. It also clarifies that all queries regarding the operation and administration of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme should be directed to that department.

The European Commission has published a report on the application of VAT rate derogations by Members States revealing an uneven distribution of derogations. The report highlights many disparities, including that Ireland is the only country to apply zero VAT rates to children’s clothing and maritime services.

The Council has adopted the European Commission’s proposal for a mandate to start negotiations with Norway to conclude an agreement on administrative cooperation in direct tax matters. It is intended to establish a cooperation framework between member states and Norway by extending certain provisions of the Directive on Administrative Cooperation. This should assist with cooperating on tax recovery and in the fight against tax fraud, evasion and avoidance.

The EU has amended automatic exchange of financial account information agreements with Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco and San Marino expanding the scope of reporting to include specific electronic money products and central bank digital currencies. The amendments are expected to come into force on 1 January 2026, thus strengthening the due diligence and reporting requirements which facilitates the use of information for tax administrations and limit burdens on financial institutions.

From the Professional Accountancy team…... The Apply AI Strategy was launched in October 2025 by the European Commission. It aims to harness AI’s transformative potential by increasing and supporting AI adoption and integration across key industrial and public sectors, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Strategy encourages an AI first policy where AI is considered as a potential solution whenever organisations make strategic or policy decisions, taking into careful consideration the benefits and the risks of the technology.  The European Commission has also launched the AI Act Single Information Platform and the AI Act Service Desk to support implementation of the AI Act and to provide resources and tools regarding the AI Act requirements.           

All members are obliged to sustain professional competence in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Code of Ethics.  The Institute’s CPD regulations detail the quantum and nature of CPD which is considered necessary for members to undertake.  Renewal of membership serves as formal acknowledgement of compliance with CPD obligations. CPD Monitoring The Institute monitors CPD compliance via random and risk-based selection, across its membership population. If selected for CPD review, members are required to submit records of CPD undertaken during the relevant period. CPD Requirements and Approaches CPD may be pursued through three approaches: Input-based: Focuses on completing a set amount of learning activities. Output-based: Emphasizes demonstrated outcomes that reflect maintained competence. Combination: Integrates both input and output methods, balancing activity levels with measurable results. Further information regarding the CPD monitoring process and requirements can be found at Support & Guidance – Continuing Professional Development Should you have any queries please contact cpdmonitoring@charteredaccountants.ie

Last week the European Parliament adopted a resolution containing suggestions for reforms to the tax architecture to boost competitiveness while continuing to address tax avoidance and evasion. The resolution will feed into the ongoing work on legislative simplification, with a dedicated proposal of the European Commission expected to be released in early 2026.

The EU has published an updated list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. While no new jurisdictions have been added to the list in Annex I,  Viet Nam has been removed from Annex II due to its successful implementation of the OECD’s BEPS minimum standard on Country-by-Country Reporting.  Annex II reflects the countries engaged in constructive cooperation with international partners.