Revenue has published new and updated guidance on the treatment of leases for stamp duty. The guidance notes on the schedules and appendices to the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (SDCA 1999) have also been updated and incorporate all subsequent legislation changes up to and including Finance Act 2025. The updates to the stamp duty manuals include: Updated guidance on Part 5 TDM: Provisions applicable to particular instruments. New guidance on Part 5: Provisions applicable to particular instruments - Leases Updated guidance on Schedule 1 TDM: Stamp Duties on Instruments. New guidance on Schedule 1: LEASE Head of Charge.  

Revenue has published updated guidance on farm consolidation relief and the repayment of stamp duty where land is used for residential development to reflect amendments introduced by Finance Act 2025. The amendments include an extension of the reliefs to 31 December 2029 and 31 December 2030 respectively. The following Finance Act 2025 changes have been reflected in the guidance on the repayment of stamp duty where land is used for residential development: An extension of the relevant time limits on acquisition to commencement, and commencement to completion from 30 months to 36 months for large-scale residential developments (LRDs), To allow for a full repayment of stamp duty to be claimed in respect of a multi-phase development once the first phase commences, To provide that Revenue will be precluded from repaying stamp duty if any of the conditions to avoid a clawback of a repayment are not met, and To provide that where a residential development is carried out in phases and a repayment is claimed in respect of the entire residential development, the last phase must be completed within 30 months of the date of the commencement to avoid a clawback (36 months in the case of LRDs). Finance Act 2025 also provided for the farm consolidation relief to be extended to include transfers of non-commercial woodland in cases where the person acquiring the land intends to retain ownership of it, and use it for conservation purposes, for a period of five years. In addition, the examples in the guidance have been updated to provide greater clarity on how the relief operates in respect of multiple transactions.  

Revenue has published updated pension guidance relating to employer contributions providing clarification on ‘special’ contributions, contribution refunds and the minimum contribution requirements under the  Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme. Where a contribution is a special contribution, generally there is a requirement for the relevant allowance to be spread over a period of years. The guidance now states that spreading the allowance is not required where an employer’s special contributions in a chargeable period do not exceed its ordinary annual contributions. The guidance also confirms that pension schemes may refund employer contributions paid in error without Revenue approval, provided the period over which the overpayment occurred was less than a year. However, if an employer has taken a tax deduction for the amount overpaid, any amount repaid will be taxable under section 782 TCA 1997. The table in paragraph 4.1 of the guidance outlines the minimum pension contribution levels required to ensure an employee is not enrolled in the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System.

The Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation have published the Fiscal Monitor for March 2026 which confirms an exchequer deficit of €0.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026. This compares to a surplus of €4.1 billion recorded for the same period last year. Although the underlying Exchequer balance fell by €1.2 billion (excluding Apple State Aid receipts), this decline is largely attributable to transfers to the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. The combined tax receipts collected in the first quarter of 2026 were €22.6 billion. While this was €1.0 billion lower than the same period last year, if the once off receipts arising from the Apple case are excluded, then total tax receipts were up on last year by €0.7 billion. Income tax receipts for the quarter were €8.7 billion which was an improvement of €0.5 billion (6.1 percent) on the same period in 2025. Corporation tax receipts of €2.1 billion were collected in the month of March which was an increase on the same month last year by €0.1 billion. On a cumulative basis, receipts of €2.9 billion were marginally lower than the first quarter in 2025, down by €0.1 billion. VAT receipts for the first quarter of 2026 were €8.0 billion ahead of the same period last year by €0.4 billion. Commenting on the figures, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris said: “All in all, the performance of tax revenues in the first quarter of the year was robust. The continued strength in income tax and VAT is a testament to the fundamental resilience of the Irish economy. This is of course a period of profound uncertainty. The uncertainty in the international environment also underlines the importance of keeping our approach to overall budgetary policy balanced and sustainable. This is the best way to ensure we have the necessary resources to respond swiftly and decisively to future challenges”

Revenue issued a press release last week confirming that it will work with taxpayers that have been adversely impacted by the rise in fuel and other costs to ensure that good compliance records can be maintained. In the press release, Revenue outlined its strong track record in successfully agreeing flexible and appropriate payment arrangements where businesses are facing temporary cash flow difficulties. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue filing returns on time and to engage with Revenue early if they are experiencing or anticipating difficulties in paying tax, so that mutually suitable arrangements can be agreed. Revenue’s Collector-General Division can be contacted on 01 738 3663, or through MyEnquiries.

The FISC Subcommittee will discuss a draft report on the feasibility of a 28th tax regime and its potential to support EU competitiveness on Thursday 16 April 2026. The focus will be on considering taxation aspects that could be included in the EU Commission’s recently proposed 28th regime corporate legal framework - ‘EU INC.'

On Thursday 16 April 2026 the FISC Subcommittee will discuss proposed amendments to the draft report on a coherent tax framework for the EU's financial sector. The draft report considers the competitiveness implications of fragmentation arising from the VAT exemption for financial services in the EU.

In Irish news, Revenue has published its 2025 Protected Disclosures report and has also issued updated guidance on qualifying health expenses. In UK news, we feature the second part of our series looking at the key tax changes taking effect in the Financial Year 2026 and tax year 2026/27. We also provide an update on recently published regulations which fast-track the utilisation of surplus advance corporation tax. In International news this week, the European Commission has published an overview of key taxation indicators which show a rebound in tax revenues in 2024. Ireland 1. Revenue has published its 2025 Protected Disclosures report providing details of relevant internal and external protected disclosures during the year. 2. Revenue has issued updated guidance relating to tax relief on qualifying health expenses. UK 3. The second in our series of articles looks at various key changes due to commence at the start of the new Financial Year 2026 and the tax year 2026/27. 4. Read about the new tax regulations which provide for an acceleration of relief for unrelieved surplus advance corporation tax balances. International 5. The European Commission has published Data on Taxation Trends providing an overview of key taxation indicators based on information up to 2024. Keep up to date with all the latest Irish, UK, and international tax developments through Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Tax Newsletter. Subscribe to the Tax News by updating your preferences in MyAccount. You can also read this week’s Cross-border developments and trading corner here.  

Revenue has published updated guidance on the Film Corporation Tax Credit with the introduction of a new section on claiming the enhanced tax credit for lower budget films, or as it is also known – the ‘Scéal uplift’. The guidance addresses the EU State Aid transparency requirements as well as removing obsolete details. The tax credit was introduced by Finance Act 2024 and applies to lower budget qualifying film productions certified on or after 20 May 2025. It is available, subject to certification by the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, for live action or animated feature films, with qualifying expenditure below €20 million. To qualify, certain key creative roles must also be carried out by Irish or EEA nationals or ordinary residents.

Revenue has updated its guidance for non-resident students who are exercising a short-term employment in the State to replace information previously included in paragraph 3 with a link to the guidance on PAYE exclusion orders.

Revenue has published updated guidance in paragraph 3.1 on the EU Mandatory Disclosure of reportable cross border arrangements to reflect amendments  arising from the transposition of Council Directive (EU) 2023/2226 (DAC8).  Paragraph 3.1 sets out the specified information to be provided to Revenue for each reportable cross‑border arrangement. The update confirms that an abstract summary of the business environment is no longer required in respect of reportable cross-border arrangements. Instead, a description of the relevant arrangements, along with any additional information that would assist a competent authority in assessing potential tax risk should be provided.

Revenue has published updated guidance on the Outbound Payments Defensive Measures. The new guidance provides additional detail and clarification on the application of the measures, including information on the ‘association’ test. The updated sections of the guidance are as follows: A new section 3.4.2 has been included concerning the application of the association test for Irish partnerships, New examples relating to associated entities and Irish partnerships are included in sections 3.4.3 and 3.4.4, Section 3.4.5 now includes updates concerning association via individual(s), and new examples are also included, Section 3.8 includes updated guidance and examples to confirm that Net CFC Tested Income tax (NCTI) under US tax law is regarded as similar to the controlled foreign company charge for the purposes of the outbound payment defensive measures, The text relating to the examples in section 5.1.2 and in section 5.1.4 have been updated, and A new section 5.1.5 has been included with examples concerning Investment Limited Partnerships. Several other minor amendments have been reflected throughout the guidance.