Increased global competition one of several challenges to FDI model Addressing infrastructural deficit critical to ensuring continued FDI growth Chartered Accountants Ireland launches FDI guide, highlighting critical role its members play in supporting investment   Ireland faces greater competition as a location for global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) than ever before as we move into 2025, with other countries enhancing their offering at pace. While Ireland’s FDI policy has stood the country in good stead for decades, a slowdown in growth of the global economy coupled with accelerated industrial policy interventions by competitor countries means Ireland’s inward investment model is now at a crucial inflection point, according to Chartered Accountants Ireland.  The Institute, the largest professional body on the island of Ireland, representing over 38,400 members, has today launched its new guide to FDI in Ireland at an event in conjunction with IDA Ireland in Dublin.   Cróna Clohisey, Director Public Affairs, Chartered Accountants Ireland said  “Ireland’s record of attracting FDI has been the envy of other countries for decades and IDA Ireland has played a pivotal role. However, against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical uncertainty and intensifying global competition for inward investment, we cannot afford to be complacent about our offering. The significant deficits in the State’s crucial infrastructure, including housing, energy, water, childcare and nationwide public transport, need to be addressed with urgency if we are to remain fully competitive in the race for future FDI.” Barry Doyle, President, Chartered Accountants Ireland said  “We are all familiar with the advantages that Ireland holds in attracting FDI - EU membership, strategic location, young talented workforce and a stable business environment. Our members also represent a key competitive advantage, with Chartered Accountants playing a central role in supporting FDI the length and breadth of the country. “Competition has never been greater for the flow of FDI around the world, and with a new US administration taking office in a matter of weeks, there is an increased chance of disruption to the traditional flow of FDI globally. However, investors with a long term, sustainable outlook will look beyond short-term protectionism. Ireland as a safe and stable environment will continue to benefit greatly from FDI and we as Chartered Accountants will be there to lead and support such investments.”    

  COP16, the major United Nations summit on biodiversity, concluded on 1 November in Cali, Colombia, after a record number of attendees attended two weeks of negotiations on progress towards the goals of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Governments failed to agree on how the goals of the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework will be financed, but some key agenda items were adopted and are now operative (see below). This article provides background to the summit and what it means for accountants.   What is the Biodiversity COP? ‘COP’ stand for ‘Conference of the Parties’. COPs are the main decision-making bodies of the United Nations treaty bodies. At COPs representatives of all the ‘Parties’, i.e. countries that have agreed to participate in and be bound by the treaties, converge to discuss their progress on achieving the goals of the treaties. The Biodiversity COP – also known as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) or the ‘Nature COP’ – was established to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. While the more famous ‘Climate COPs’ take place every November, the Biodiversity COPs happen every second October. Biodiversity COPs are becoming increasingly relevant to business as the scale of biodiversity destruction, and its impact on people, planet and economies, becomes clear.   What was the theme of COP16? The headline of the COP16 summit was “peace with nature”. It focused on how the nature crisis is entrenching poverty and jeopardizing economies and undermining the Sustainable Development Goals.  The theme of COP16 was ‘COP of the People’, as explained by Susan Gardner, director of the Ecosystems Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): “For too long, humanity has viewed itself as separate from nature…That perspective is starting to shift and COP16 will be an important opportunity to re-enforce the message that humanity and nature are intrinsically linked.”  This summit saw the launch of The World Coalition of Peace With Nature: A Call for Life,  a coalition of 21 countries that agreed to a set of principles aimed at changing humanity's relationship with nature. It called for “the development of public policies to strengthen institutional and human capital, governance, intercultural dialogue, technical capabilities, and adequate finance to achieve a balanced and harmonious relationship with nature”.   Why was this COP so important? The primary agenda of COP16 was the implementation of the ‘Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’ (GBF) Often described as the “Paris Agreement for nature”, the ‘GBF’ had been adopted at COP 15 in December 2022 in Montreal, Canada. It set out four long-term goals and 23 specific targets to be achieved by 2030 to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Under the GBF, countries are expected to submit updated national plans detailing how they will meet their targets under GBF. These National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) were to be submitted by the start of conference on October 21. Only 17% of the 196 countries had submitted their updated NBSAPs by the start of the conference, among them Colombia, Mexico, Suriname, and Cuba. By the close of the summit, only 44 out of 196 parties – 22% – had come up with new biodiversity plans.   Why does biodiversity matter to business? UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasised how prompt and effective action on the nature and biodiversity crisis makes economic sense: “Every dollar invested in ecosystem restoration creates up to thirty dollars in economic benefits.” At COP16, Guterres warned delegates that humanity faces a “dangerous and uncertain tomorrow” caused by its destruction of life-sustaining nature. Many businesses and financial institutions have already acknowledged the real risks this presents to business and livelihoods and signed a call to heads of states and governments for renewed policy ambition in advance of COP16 to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework and halt and reverse nature loss this decade. In recognition that businesses and the accountancy profession need to be part of the solution, the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA) in March 2022 launched a call to action to the accounting profession in response to the nature crisis. In October 2024, it published a report taking stock of the GAA’s collective accomplishments against its four nature commitments. The report, The GAA’s Progress and Pathway to 2030, considers relevant trends affecting the profession, such as the growing market trend towards transparency, reporting and regulation on nature-related issues. It also sets out actions that the GAA and its members will take to help further accelerate collective progress towards our nature commitments.   Accounting and finance at COP Finance was a critical issue at COP16, as $700 billion annually is reportedly needed to achieve the GBF targets on biodiversity protection and restoration. For the second time in its history, a Finance & Biodiversity Day took place at a Biodiversity COP, but funding commitments have fallen short of the target, with only seven countries pledging a total of $243 million to the newly established UN fund for the GBF. The lack of sufficient funding threatens the implementation of biodiversity projects on the ground. A new ‘Cali Fund’ was agreed to collect voluntary contributions from pharmaceutical and other companies to cover their use of genetic data from nature, but overall COP16 failed to reach consensus on global finance for nature.   Nature-related reporting was a major theme at COP16, with discussions on how companies can better assess and communicate their impacts and dependencies on nature. This includes aligning business practices with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to responsible consumption and production, climate action, and sustainable cities and communities. Among the highlights:   The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) attended the summit, organising events particularly focused on biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services disclosures.   The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) released a paper designed to help accountants support organisations to undertake nature-related reporting and tackle sustainability-related challenges: Empowering Business: Navigating Nature-Related Reporting”.   The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) published a draft paper as part of its work to help markets access decision-useful nature-related data.A roadmap for upgrading market access to decision-useful nature-related data is now available for consultation and feedback.   Biodiversity credits were also to the forefront in COP16, with three international organisations releasing a set of 21 high-level principles for biodiversity credits which aims to steer the emerging market. The organisations were The World Economic Forum (WEF) the Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA) and the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB). These principles were first launched in 2022 in an attempt “to explore the potential of biodiversity credits to unlock new financing for measurable positive outcomes for nature and its stewards.” The WEF also published a new report, Nature Finance and Biodiversity Credits: A Private Sector Roadmap to Finance and Act on Nature, that aims at empowering business leaders to take decisive actions towards a nature-positive future.   What’s next? This is the first of three UN environment COPs taking place in 2024. The Climate COP - COP29 – will take place in Azerbaijan from 11-22 November. In December, Saudi Arabia will host another COP, this one focused on desertification. Chartered Accountants Ireland will bring you highlights as they happen.   Articles COP16: Key outcomes agreed at the UN biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia (Carbon Brief) UN summit agrees deal on genetic data but fails on wider finance to protect nature (Financial Times) Countdown to COP16: are businesses and government turning the tide on nature loss? (Business for Nature) Malcolm Noonan tells Cop16 Ireland making progress in ending biodiversity loss (Irish Times)     For more resources on nature and accounting, visit Biodiversity - Accounting for Nature in the Chartered Accountants Ireland Sustainability centre.

Three Chartered Accountants weigh in on how the outcome of the US presidential election might impact the future of foreign direct investment in Ireland, exploring potential economic shifts and changes to the corporate tax regime Paraic Burke Head of Tax PwC Ireland Despite international uncertainties, Ireland’s economy continues to be one of the best-performing in Europe.  Employment remains at a historic high, our fiscal position is strong and inflation is easing. Global companies here continue to see the opportunities Ireland presents as a gateway to Europe and further afield, with a highly skilled workforce in a stable business environment.  The impact of the US election on Ireland’s FDI from a tax and business perspective is two-fold:   1. The US election should determine how the US responds to the stalled element of global tax reforms led by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. While Ireland and EU member states have enshrined Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Pillar Two into their domestic law, the US has not.  Depending on a complex series of political factors, we could see increasing tensions between the US and Europe, which could have big implications for Ireland. Under a clause in the Pillar Two agreement called the undertaxed profits rule (UTPR) – a way of ensuring that multinational companies pay the globally agreed 15 percent corporate tax rate on their profits – the Irish Government, like others across the EU, could find itself having to tax US profits.  This would not sit well with the US Government. If it is not dealt with, it could have serious trade implications for multinational companies exporting from Ireland. The outcome of the election will very likely have a significant impact on the US approach in this context. 2. This US election will also determine who deals with the potential expiration in 2025 of the individual tax rate cuts introduced by Donald Trump in 2017.  As part of the overall strategy in this context, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has outlined a plan to raise the US corporation tax rate to 28 percent (currently at 21 percent), but this is likely to be politically impossible.  On the other hand, if elected as US President for a second term, Trump has mentioned a reduction in the US corporate tax rate to 15 percent – although, again, this is likely to be impossible given the overall US fiscal position.  In addition, Trump has regularly stated that he may adopt a policy of applying tariffs on all US imports, a move that could greatly disrupt global trade, including Irish exports.  Cormac Kelleher International Tax Partner Forvis Mazars The upcoming presidential election in the US, due to take place in November, is delaying US companies in making their foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions.  Uncertainty over upcoming trade policy is causing new and existing US businesses to pause decision-making. However, it has not stopped firms from exploring and readying themselves for investment decisions in 2025. If the US introduces or strengthens existing tax repatriation programs post-election, as seen in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, it could incentivise US companies to bring profits and operations back home, possibly reducing FDI in Ireland.  However, given Ireland’s low corporate tax rate (12.5%) and status as a key EU hub for the technology and pharmaceutical sectors, US firms might still find Ireland an attractive location for their European operations. It will be interesting to watch the level of US engagement with the OECD’s BEPS 2.0 tax proposals.  This year has delivered probably the most significant level of tax reform practitioners are likely to witness.  The effective 15 percent rate has caused multinational groups to grapple with a plethora of complex and challenging legislation. Despite initial positive soundings from the US Treasury, achieving sufficient political appetite for the introduction of BEPS 2.0 (Pillar Two) has proved elusive.  The rules, however, will result in US-headquartered groups being affected by the global minimum tax rules from 2026 onwards.  If Pillar Two plans continue to have momentum, commentators will watch with interest to see how the US will react and whether retaliatory measures will be introduced. While tax policy is an important feature of Ireland’s FDI offering, there are many other features that are equally attractive and important to organisations when seeking to establish an international presence.  This is particularly important for firms establishing their first presence outside the US.  Ireland will continue to be an important cog in the global international tax expansion plans of US-based multinational groups. Fundamentals – including making Ireland an attractive location for people to relocate to – will play a greater role in years to come. Catherine Drysdale Consultant Barden Ireland's job market is highly interconnected with global trends and events. There are a number of key factors impacting the employment industry in Ireland at present, including the upcoming US election and potential impact on FDI, geopolitical conflicts, climate initiatives, uncertainty regarding policy and regulatory changes and interest rates and inflationary impacts. How these directly impact talent looking for opportunities within US companies headquartered in Ireland will be sector dependent. Certain sectors, for example, will be impacted more significantly by policy and regulatory changes including technology, pharmaceutical and financial services industries.   The challenges for acquiring talent may include: Changes in visa policies and global mobility restrictions; Cautious spending that could result in longer, more complex hiring processes coupled with the risk that companies will prioritise hiring local talent in the US due to shifting labour policies or cost-saving measures; A shift to contract opportunities, a trend we have already witnessed, reflecting employers’ desire for flexibility and a cautious approach to permanent hires; and Increased competition among jobseekers for a reduced number of opportunities, potentially leading to longer lead time to secure new roles. The stance companies are taking on hybrid and remote working arrangements remains in flux. We saw the recent announcement from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy regarding a mandatory full-time return to office. Whether others follow suit remains to be seen.  Organisations could adopt permanent remote working policies. While this may open up opportunities for a broader talent pool and flexible working arrangements, professionals in the Irish market would likely face increased competition from the global talent pool, potentially leading to downward pressure on salaries as companies seek cost-effective labour. With potential changes in the US economic environment post-election, given their established presence in Ireland, US companies with operations here may need to adjust their salary structures to remain competitive in attracting top talent, particularly if remote work opportunities expand.  A focus on enhancing their existing localised talent acquisition strategies, coupled with a strong emphasis on employer branding to showcase corporate culture and values, will help to make positions more attractive in a competitive market.  

Minster for Finance, Jack Chambers, last week published the report of the independent examination of the Standard Fund Threshold (SFT). Following this review, the Government will implement phased increases in the SFT of €200,000 per year beginning in 2026 until 2029; after which the level of SFT will move with the applicable level of wage growth.    The SFT is the limit on the total capital value of an individual’s pension pot before unfavourable tax consequences are realised and has remained at €2 million for the past 10 years.   The Institute, under the auspices of the CCAB-I, responded to the public consultation on the SFT regime in December 2023 and recommended that the SFT should be increased in line with inflation as well as harmonising the treatment of public and private sector pensions when the SFT is breached.   The Minister also confirmed that there would be no change to the rate of chargeable excess tax (CET), currently 40 percent, but that this would be reviewed in 2030.  In relation to lump sums, the threshold for the higher rate of taxation to apply to a pension lump sum will be limited to €500,000 rather than a proportion of the SFT and this change will be introduced in Budget 2025.   Read the Minister's statement announcing the changes.  

As anticipation for an early general election continues to grow, the Institute’s public policy team has made submissions to all of the main political parties setting out the key policy priorities we would like to see featured in any future Programme for Government. Read our manifesto. Supporting small businesses While the Government has acknowledged the financial pressures SMEs are under, many businesses remain constrained by rising labour costs. In a recent survey of our members, 90 percent of respondents identified labour costs as being the single biggest operating cost facing their business today with over 90 percent saying that these have increased over the past year. With this in mind, we are calling for the next Government to: 1. Reduce Employers’ PRSI on minimum wage workers by 1.5 percent to mitigate the cost of auto-enrolment for employers Currently employers’ PRSI is paid at a rate of 8.8 percent (8.9 percent from October 2024) and a reduction by 1.5 percent would cost the Exchequer an estimated €63 million in a full year. This proposal would compensate employers who will have to introduce pensions auto-enrolment during 2025 at an initial cost of 1.5 percent. The cohort most impacted by the new pensions scheme will be the estimated 164,000 minimum wage workers. 2. Think small first when it comes to introducing new legislation and regulations SMEs have also had to deal with the introduction of an unprecedented number of new legislative requirements over the past 2 years, adding to their cost and administrative burden.  One example is the introduction of enhanced reporting for employers meaning that employers have to report in real-time details of tax-free travel and subsistence and other benefits paid to employees.  Government needs to be cognisant of these challenges when implementing new regulations and have regard to the timing and suitability of same. It is important that small companies do not face any unnecessary or disproportionate regulatory obstacles to start up, establish and grow.  This can be achieved by: Strictly applying the ‘enhanced SME test’ across all government departments when introducing new legislation that will ultimately affect the bottom lines of SMEs. Staggering the roll out of new workplace legislation in a timely manner so as not to overburden employers with additional new costs all at the same time. Facilitating consultation and dialogue with SMEs and other impacted stakeholder groups before introducing new legislation or policy that affects small businesses. Reducing the frequency of reporting the payment of travel and subsistence and other benefits to a monthly or annual basis. 3. Simplify the tax regime for SMEs to encourage enterprise and innovation It is acknowledged that businesses face a complex challenge in accessing tax reliefs and schemes and the Government has shown a desire for all businesses, especially SMEs, to know what they are entitled to claim and can access all appropriate schemes and reliefs.   However, there are several areas where improvements must be made including: (i) Making share-remuneration more attractive by: Maintaining the Employers’ PRSI exemption, which offsets some of the cost of establishing share schemes. Deferring all tax charges for the employee until a sale or liquidity event occurs and allowing CGT treatment on a redemption of employee-owned shares. Enhancing the Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP) scheme by relaxing some of the onerous conditions for establishment which drives set-up costs. (ii) Encouraging SMEs to claim the R&D tax credit Larger organisations represent a larger proportion of the amount of R&D tax credit claims in a year. Smaller organisations are disincentivised from claiming an otherwise-available R&D tax credit on the basis of a lack of certainty, fundamental tax risk, and burdensome scrutiny of claims. This can be achieved by: Offering an enhanced rate for small and micro companies of 50 percent. Simplifying the documentation and qualification requirements for SMEs. Introducing a Revenue pre-clearance system for first time claimants. Improving Revenue guidance targeted at SMEs and including a list of common pitfalls encountered by claimants. (iii) Reduce Capital Gains Tax from 33 percent to 25 percent Investment is critical in enabling start-ups to thrive and SMEs to grow and expand.  A lower rate of CGT has been shown to encourage innovation and risk taking. It encourages the sale and purchase of assets, which drives investment activity. This would improve returns for entrepreneurs and in turn the Exchequer.  Improving childcare capacity and affordability for working parents Childcare provision is part of the critical infrastructure necessary for a functioning economy. Access to affordable and good-quality childcare can play a key role in driving more sustainable and inclusive economic growth. In a survey of our members published earlier this year, 97 percent of respondents surveyed said that they had considered adjusting their working patterns as a result of not being able to find a childcare place while almost half of respondents signalled that they have had to reduce their working hours as a result of this. From a cost perspective, one third of members currently pay up to €1,000 a month per child on childcare with one third paying between €1,000 and €2,000 per child per month. This is not a sustainable situation. To address these issues, we are calling on the next Government to: 1. Commit to a whole-of-government strategy which recognises childcare as part of the critical infrastructure necessary for the functioning of the economy. This strategy should: Focus on encouraging the availability of flexible or part-time childcare places to reflect current work patterns. Targeted funding could be directed at facilities to offer more flexible offerings. Ensure adequate capacity in the sector by officially analysing and documenting childcare needs in local areas on a regular basis.  Expand the work of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) programme which caters for children with a disability by creating a more inclusive environment in pre-schools through universal and targeted supports. 2. Ensure funding of the existing system reflects the true cost of service provision and encourages growth in the sector. This can be achieved by: Regularly reviewing Core Funding to ensure that the model is suitable for the sector and enables providers to be sustainable, profitable and retain an ability to invest in their own services. Supporting an integrated system of full time and after-school care with both types of care adequately funded. Reflecting the additional cost burden placed on providers by the administrative requirements of Core Funding, the administration of the National Childcare Subsidies as well as the enhanced regulation experienced by childcare providers (and SMEs generally) by the introduction of new labour laws including pensions auto-enrolment, which is expected in 2025.   3. Enhance awareness of support subsidies available to parents under the National Childcare Scheme. This can be achieved by: Ensuring that maternity hospital and Public Health Nurses to provide information on the supports available to new parents in the early years. Requiring childcare providers to highlight available supports to parents as part of the application process to register their child with the childcare facility. Translating the NCS portal into other languages as language barriers have been reported as being a barrier to claiming the subsidy. As part of our pre-election campaign to promote the above advocacy agenda, in recent weeks representatives from the Institute have met with Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke and Minister for Finance Jack Chambers. In addition, we have engaged with senior officials at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and have arranged forthcoming meetings with spokespeople from all of the main opposition parties. As we approach the next general election, the Institute’s public policy team will continue to advocate for our members interests across the political spectrum. Should you have any questions on our campaign or wish to bring a specific issue to our attention, please contact the public policy team at publicpolicy@charteredaccountants.ie  

As anticipation for an early general election continues to grow, the Institute’s public policy team has made submissions to all of the main political parties setting out the key policy priorities we would like to see featured in any future Programme for Government. Supporting small businesses While the Government has acknowledged the financial pressures SMEs are under, many businesses remain constrained by rising labour costs. In a recent survey of our members, 90 percent of respondents identified labour costs as being the single biggest operating cost facing their business today with over 90 percent saying that these have increased over the past year. With this in mind, we are calling for the next Government to: 1. Reduce Employers’ PRSI on minimum wage workers by 1.5 percent to mitigate the cost of auto-enrolment for employers Currently employers’ PRSI is paid at a rate of 8.8 percent (8.9 percent from October 2024) and a reduction by 1.5 percent would cost the Exchequer an estimated €63 million in a full year. This proposal would compensate employers who will have to introduce pensions auto-enrolment during 2025 at an initial cost of 1.5 percent. The cohort most impacted by the new pensions scheme will be the estimated 164,000 minimum wage workers. 2. Think small first when it comes to introducing new legislation and regulations SMEs have also had to deal with the introduction of an unprecedented number of new legislative requirements over the past 2 years, adding to their cost and administrative burden.  One example is the introduction of enhanced reporting for employers meaning that employers have to report in real-time details of tax-free travel and subsistence and other benefits paid to employees.  Government needs to be cognisant of these challenges when implementing new regulations and have regard to the timing and suitability of same. It is important that small companies do not face any unnecessary or disproportionate regulatory obstacles to start up, establish and grow.  This can be achieved by: Strictly applying the ‘enhanced SME test’ across all government departments when introducing new legislation that will ultimately affect the bottom lines of SMEs. Staggering the roll out of new workplace legislation in a timely manner so as not to overburden employers with additional new costs all at the same time. Facilitating consultation and dialogue with SMEs and other impacted stakeholder groups before introducing new legislation or policy that affects small businesses. Reducing the frequency of reporting the payment of travel and subsistence and other benefits to a monthly or annual basis. 3. Simplify the tax regime for SMEs to encourage enterprise and innovation It is acknowledged that businesses face a complex challenge in accessing tax reliefs and schemes and the Government has shown a desire for all businesses, especially SMEs, to know what they are entitled to claim and can access all appropriate schemes and reliefs.   However, there are several areas where improvements must be made including: (i) Making share-remuneration more attractive by: Maintaining the Employers’ PRSI exemption, which offsets some of the cost of establishing share schemes. Deferring all tax charges for the employee until a sale or liquidity event occurs and allowing CGT treatment on a redemption of employee-owned shares. Enhancing the Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP) scheme by relaxing some of the onerous conditions for establishment which drives set-up costs. (ii) Encouraging SMEs to claim the R&D tax credit Larger organisations represent a larger proportion of the amount of R&D tax credit claims in a year. Smaller organisations are disincentivised from claiming an otherwise-available R&D tax credit on the basis of a lack of certainty, fundamental tax risk, and burdensome scrutiny of claims. This can be achieved by: Offering an enhanced rate for small and micro companies of 50 percent. Simplifying the documentation and qualification requirements for SMEs. Introducing a Revenue pre-clearance system for first time claimants. Improving Revenue guidance targeted at SMEs and including a list of common pitfalls encountered by claimants. (iii) Reduce Capital Gains Tax from 33 percent to 25 percent Investment is critical in enabling start-ups to thrive and SMEs to grow and expand.  A lower rate of CGT has been shown to encourage innovation and risk taking. It encourages the sale and purchase of assets, which drives investment activity. This would improve returns for entrepreneurs and in turn the Exchequer.  Improving childcare capacity and affordability for working parents Childcare provision is part of the critical infrastructure necessary for a functioning economy. Access to affordable and good-quality childcare can play a key role in driving more sustainable and inclusive economic growth. In a survey of our members published earlier this year, 97 percent of respondents surveyed said that they had considered adjusting their working patterns as a result of not being able to find a childcare place while almost half of respondents signalled that they have had to reduce their working hours as a result of this. From a cost perspective, one third of members currently pay up to €1,000 a month per child on childcare with one third paying between €1,000 and €2,000 per child per month. This is not a sustainable situation. To address these issues, we are calling on the next Government to: 1. Commit to a whole-of-government strategy which recognises childcare as part of the critical infrastructure necessary for the functioning of the economy. This strategy should: Focus on encouraging the availability of flexible or part-time childcare places to reflect current work patterns. Targeted funding could be directed at facilities to offer more flexible offerings. Ensure adequate capacity in the sector by officially analysing and documenting childcare needs in local areas on a regular basis.  Expand the work of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) programme which caters for children with a disability by creating a more inclusive environment in pre-schools through universal and targeted supports. 2. Ensure funding of the existing system reflects the true cost of service provision and encourages growth in the sector. This can be achieved by: Regularly reviewing Core Funding to ensure that the model is suitable for the sector and enables providers to be sustainable, profitable and retain an ability to invest in their own services. Supporting an integrated system of full time and after-school care with both types of care adequately funded. Reflecting the additional cost burden placed on providers by the administrative requirements of Core Funding, the administration of the National Childcare Subsidies as well as the enhanced regulation experienced by childcare providers (and SMEs generally) by the introduction of new labour laws including pensions auto-enrolment, which is expected in 2025.   3. Enhance awareness of support subsidies available to parents under the National Childcare Scheme. This can be achieved by: Ensuring that maternity hospital and Public Health Nurses to provide information on the supports available to new parents in the early years. Requiring childcare providers to highlight available supports to parents as part of the application process to register their child with the childcare facility. Translating the NCS portal into other languages as language barriers have been reported as being a barrier to claiming the subsidy. As part of our pre-election campaign to promote the above advocacy agenda, in recent weeks representatives from the Institute have met with Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke and Minister for Finance Jack Chambers. In addition, we have engaged with senior officials at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and have arranged forthcoming meetings with spokespeople from all of the main opposition parties. As we approach the next general election, the Institute’s public policy team will continue to advocate for our members interests across the political spectrum. Should you have any questions on our campaign or wish to bring a specific issue to our attention, please contact the public policy team at publicpolicy@charteredaccountants.ie