On 9 February the Ulster Society hosted a webinar titled 'Delivering Transformation in the Public Sector – Setting up for Success' In this lunchtime webinar, Paul Duffy, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Finance outlined his approach in leading transformation programmes, drawing on his experience and learning as a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for a number of projects. A recording of this webinar is available for members to view for free and on demand HERE A pdf copy of Paul's slides is available to view HERE

On 20 January the Ulster Society's Chartered Accountants in Business sub-Committee hosted a webinar titled 'Taming the Zedonk - 'horrible hybrids' and the future of work' In this webinar highly acclaimed, award-winning presenter Dr Nicola Millard addressed some of the key issues shaping the hybrid world of work, such as: • building resilience in this new way of working. • how the world of work has changed and the trends that employers and employees are finding. • the challenge of managing teams remotely. • key management and tech considerations. • what is an office for? • meetings culture - are meetings the best use of time? • will the metaverse actually be useful to the world of work? A recording of this webinar is available to view, for free and on demand HERE A pdf copy of Dr. Nicola's slides are available to view HERE

Ulster’s Chartered Accountants gave out thousands of pounds worth of Christmas presents this week and provided a boost to local charities by presenting hundreds of toys to the Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul Family Appeal. Chartered Accountants Ulster Society also raised a total of £15,000 for local charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke at their Christmas event running in partnership with Ulster Bank. The toys and funds were collected at the Ulster Society’s Christmas Charity Lunch at the Europa Hotel in Belfast, attended by over 500 Chartered Accountants. Emma Murray, Chairperson of Chartered Accountants Ulster Society said: “Our Charity Lunch is one of our most important events and a fantastic opportunity to make Christmas a little bit brighter for a lot of families. It feels especially important this year with so many people dealing with the cost-of-living crisis. “Chartered Accountants have raised money and donated toys which will bring some Christmas sparkle to children this Christmas. The Charity Lunch is always one of our busiest and most enjoyable events and we’re delighted to support fantastic charities which make a big difference. We’re pleased that with the support of our partner Ulster Bank, we’ve been able to bring this event back this year bigger and better after the pandemic.” Richard Lusty, Relationship Director with Ulster Bank said: “Ulster Bank is delighted to have worked with the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants Ireland to support this event which marks the beginning of a three-year partnership between our two organisations.  “Not only was this a welcome opportunity to celebrate the great work of the local accountancy sector, the lunch has also generated fantastic support for our charity partners which will make a real difference to those in need this Christmas.” Pictured before the charity lunch are Emma Murray, Chartered Accountants Ulster Society; Gareth McGleenon, Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke; Zara Duffy, Chartered Accountants Ireland; and Richard Lusty of event sponsors Ulster Bank.

On 30 November the Ulster Society hosted a webinar in partnership with Co-Ownership which has been  helping people become home owners in NI for 43 years.  In this webinar Glynis Hobson and Niall McNulty from Co-Ownership discuss the support offered by the organisation and how the process works A recording of this webinar is available to view, for free and on demand, HERE A copy of the slides used by Glynis and Niall can be viewed HERE    

On 28 November the Ulster Society hosted a webinar addressing the issue of sustainability, how businesses are shaping a sustainability strategy, delivering operational change and meeting their reporting obligations. This webinar provided an overview of the challenge, and some first-hand case studies of businesses who are taking significant steps on the sustainability journey. Speakers included Keith Scott, NI Water; Derarca Dennis, EY Ireland; Shane O'Reilly, KPMG Sustainable Futures; David Smith, Kilwaughter Minerals Limited. A recording of this webinar is available to view, for free and on-demand, HERE A copy of Shane's slides is available to view HERE A copy of David's slides is available to view HERE A copy of Keith's slides is available to view HERE A copy of Derarca's slides is available to view HERE

On 15 November the Ulster Society held a webinar in partnership with Action Mental Health looking at how we can better understand our mental health and deal with issues such as burnout and stress. In this webinar David Babington introduced Action Mental Health and its services, as well as an overview of regional challenges for the charity sector before Rachael Power talked about:  •    The mental health spectrum •    Creating a positive culture towards mental health through shared language and understanding  •    Burnout within the workplace and how to avoid it  •    Examples of tools to help when feeling burnt out or stressed •    Signposting  A recording of the webinar is available to view for free and on demand HERE A pdf copy of David's slides is available to view HERE A pdf copy of Rachael's slides is available to view HERE Rachael can be contacted here: T: 028 9442 5347 E: rpower@amh.org.uk W: www.amh.org.uk  

On 27 October, the Ulster Society's Chartered Accountants in Business sub-Committee hosted a webinar examining the balance between talent supply and demand in Northern Ireland, and the options open to employers to address supply challenges. Gareth Hetherington discussed the findings from the latest NI Skills Barometer research produced by the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre.  Richard Kirk outlined initiatives used by employers to address talent supply challenges, with a particular focus on entry-level initiatives including work experience and apprenticeships.  A recording of this webinar is available to view, for free and on demand, HERE A pdf copy of Gareth's presentation is available to view HERE A pdf copy of Richard's presentation is available to view HERE

The Ulster Society hosted a breakfast for members in Belfast yesterday morning (19 October) featuring guest speakers Chris Martin and Aileen McAvoy of Danske Bank. Due to requests from members, copies of the slides from both presenters are available to download now: Chris' slides can be viewed HERE Aileen's slides can be viewed HERE

The Ulster Society hosted a breakfast for members in Newry this morning (18 October) featuring guest speakers John-Paul Coleman of Danske Bank and Independent Economist Maureen O'Reilly. Due to requests from members, copies of the slides from both presenters are available to download now: John-Paul's slides can be viewed HERE Maureen's slides can be viewed HERE

Each year the District Societies plan lunch or evening events for members to celebrate the season. Here is a round up of the events that were held around the country in 2022.   London Society Dinner – Thursday 1 December  The London Society enjoyed their event, "A Christmas Celebration: An evening of music and stories", at the Women's University Club in London. Leinster Society regional dinner – Thursday 1 December Thank you to all members who came along to Kelly's Resort, Rosslare for the Wexford dinner. Mid West Society Dinner – Thursday 1 December Members in the Mid West gathered in the Savoy Hotel, Limerick and heard from Ray Goggins of RTÉ's Ultimate Hell Week and Donn O'Sullivan Leinster Society regional lunch – Friday 2 December Members from Kilkenny and surrounding areas got together for lunch in the Ormonde Hotel. Ulster Society Lunch – Friday 2 December  Members in NI gathered in the Europa Hotel in Belfast for a sold-out lunch and entertainment from comedian Neil Delamare. Their charity partners were NICHS and The Family Appeal. Thank you to all who supported.  Western Society Lunch – Friday 2 December  Members in Galway and surrounding areas got together in the Dean Hotel for lunch and to hear from Izzy Wheels. The event was in support of charity partner, Oscar's Kids. Thank you to everyone who supported.  Cork Society Lunch – Friday 9 December Members in Cork got together in the Maryborough Hotel and heard from guest speakers Donal Lenihan and Billy Holland. Leinster Society Lunch – Friday 9 December The Leinster Society hosted members in the Clayton Hotel in Dublin for lunch with entertainment from comedian Neil Delamare. Members and their guests raised money for Aware.  North West Society Lunch – Friday 9 December  Members from the North West celebrated in the Glasshouse Hotel, with Pat McCann as their guest speaker.

Institute reacts to publication of Chancellor’s ‘mini-budget’ 23 September 2022 – Maintaining the 19 percent corporate tax rate and leveraging the tax system to deliver much needed supports will be a vital lifeline for companies in Northern Ireland in the face of inflation and increased energy costs according to Chartered Accountants Ireland. The Institute, which represents over 5,200 members working in businesses and practices across Northern Ireland made these remarks as the Government announced its ‘mini-budget’ in Westminster this morning.   As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government this morning outlined plans to deliver supports through the tax system with the aim of protecting jobs and supporting businesses in the months ahead. Commenting, Chair of the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants, Emma Murray said, “Measures announced today to support businesses will come as a relief for businesses in Northern Ireland that are struggling with the impact of inflation in the cost-of-living crisis. Many of the tax changes announced will be permanent, providing businesses with certainty and stability.”   Corporation tax unchanged As announced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng today, the already legislated for increase in the corporate tax rate from 19 percent to 25 percent which was due to happen across the UK in April 2023, will not now proceed. Chartered Accountants Ireland noted however the still significant disparity between the corporate tax rate in Northern Ireland and that of the Republic of Ireland.    Murray continued “Maintaining the corporate tax rate at 19 percent reduces the risk that some companies will relocate or establish new business operations outside of Northern Ireland. The rate is still much higher than the 12.5 percent rate in operation on the other side of the border”.   “A competitive rate of corporation tax, combined with the benefits of having access to both the UK and the EU’s single market for goods, puts Northern Ireland in a strong position to attract FDI, particularly in the manufacturing and distribution sectors, drive investment and expansion by local companies, and create more high-value jobs.”  Northern Irish Protocol Bill Uniquely within the UK, a key economic factor for Northern Ireland is the Northern Irish Protocol. The Institute had hoped that the Chancellor would have used the opportunity in today’s announcements to provide much-needed clarity on the new Cabinet’s approach to the Protocol which affects so many businesses in Northern Ireland.  Murray concluded "Since 2021, the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland has allowed businesses in the region to continue to sell and buy unhindered from the EU. There was no clarity today on the new Cabinet’s approach to the Protocol. As the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill continues its passage through the House of Lords, businesses cannot be certain that current trading arrangements will continue. In a time of crisis like this, certainty is crucial.”  Other supports for businesses and individuals announced in today’s package of measures include; The 45 percent higher rate of income tax is to be abolished with one single high income tax rate of 40 percent. A reduction in the basic rate of income tax to 19 percent in April 2023.  An increase in the stamp duty threshold on a property’s value such that no stamp duty will be liable on the first £250,000.  The Stamp duty threshold for first time buyers will be increased from £300,000 to £425,000. The value of the property on which first-time buyers can claim relief is also to increase from £500,000 to £625,000. A reversal of the April 2022 increase of 1.25 percent to National Insurance rates for employers, employees and the self-employed from 6 November and of the increase in the rates of income tax on dividends from 6 April 2023. ENDS  

The Chairman of Chartered Accountants Ulster Society has called on the Northern Ireland Executive to implement “much needed reform” in the health and education sectors and to re-energise the local economy. Speaking to over 360 guests at the Ulster Society’s Annual Dinner, sponsored by Danske Bank and MCS Group tonight (5th March), Richard Gillan called on the Executive to provide investment in infrastructure and skills; and to adopt a business-friendly strategy. Richard Gillan said: “This is a testing time for the local economy. Factors such as Brexit and cut-backs in Government spending will be challenging, but our members see the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive as a very positive move. “Whilst the restoration is most welcome, the last 3 years have left us with a lot of catching-up to do, and the Executive needs to prove itself and show that it can deliver for the wider economy. “There is a steep learning curve when it comes to managing the public finances. Right now, because of initiatives such as RHI, our members need to be convinced that our politicians can step up to the challenge. “The New Decade, New Approach document, promising significant investment, is a fantastic start. But it is just a start. Now we need to see the real benefits of having local politicians making local decisions and tackling local priorities. “Northern Ireland’s health and education systems are in considerable need of reform. We also need investment in skills, investment in infrastructure and an Executive which is willing to back business and help local companies compete on a global stage. “We need a concerted effort to devise a game-changing, business-friendly strategy to re-energise our economy, boost our competitiveness and put entrepreneurship at the fore. “The Executive will need to work as a cohesive unit in negotiations with HM Treasury, and be bold enough to introduce the measures and efficiencies that are so desperately needed in the Public Sector. “What Northern Ireland needs now is strong leadership." Also addressing guests at the Ulster Society Annual Dinner were Double Olympic Champion sailor Iain Percy OBE and former Ulster Rugby and Ireland captain, Rory Best OBE. The Chartered Accountants Ulster Society’s Annual Dinner took place at Titanic Belfast and was attended by 360 members and their business guests.