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As we embark on shaping the next phase of work, there is a mix of concern and excitement about getting the transition right. Kevin Empey explores what leaders can do with this once-in-a-generation opportunity to mould the future of work here and now. After overseeing the most dramatic shift to work in modern history over the last two years, leaders are now centre stage again with the expectation to guide and lead organisations through an even more complex and tricky phase of work design. As many have remarked in recent months, it was one thing to get people out of the office against the backdrop of a pandemic and a standard set of rules and guidelines for everyone; it is quite another to get people back to a new model of work that is complicated by choice and continuous comparison with what everyone else is doing. Three work phases Most organisations moving to a hybrid or more blended model (remembering that there are thousands of jobs where remote working is not an option) typically agree that we are looking at progressing through at least three phases: Experimental: a tentative, almost experimental type experience that is currently underway for many, influenced by the changing realities of COVID-19. Transitionary: a more deliberate, test and learn and strategic phase, with a transition to different ‘target’ working models that are more sustainable and hopefully free of the constraints and concerns around COVID-19. Most agree that we are also not likely to get this transition perfectly right the first time. Bedding-down: the realities, lived experience and outcomes from the transition to new target models are truly revealed, understood, and implemented over the next couple of years. On the back of these three phases, leaders need to consider two things: The operational and logistical challenge of getting people safely through these phases; and The strategic challenge of creating a new work model, associated people processes, and a leadership approach and culture that is ultimately successful and purpose-built for the organisation and its future. Strategic agility The exact sequencing of these three phases and two workstreams will differ from organisation to organisation. However, there is one foundational quality that will maximise the success of this change-management experience and prepare the organisation and workforce for further inevitable disruption into the future. That quality is strategic agility. Strategic agility is a complex, ambiguous, vulnerable leadership challenge for everyone: organisational leaders, managers, human resources, and employees. But the transition to the next phase of work is also an invaluable case study of agility in action – a case study that we can learn from, experiment with, and embed into our ways of working. The longer-term prize for leaders and employees Over the next 6 to 12 months, the potential prize for organisations is not just a safe and successful transition to a new, post-COVID-19 work model. It is also about using the learning and experience of this transition (along with the lived experience of leaders and employees over the last 22 months) to help organisations develop and embed more agile ways of working, leading and thinking for the future. Being deliberate about developing these skills over the coming months will give us the ability to deal with any change, uncertainly and disruption. Importantly, it means our leaders and our workforces will be able to flourish and thrive in the longer-term future of work and not just respond and cope from one disruption to the next. Conscious development of the sustained and deliberate capability of agility at an organisational, team and individual level will be the long-lasting legacy of COVID-19. And this prize can be won through our combined work over the next year as we go through the experience of co-creating new, successful working models and working lives. Kevin Empey is the Founder and Managing Director of WorkMatters. He is also the author of Thrive in the Future of Work, published in 2021.

In this third interview in our new governance webcast series, Níall Fitzgerald discusses key corporate governance issues affecting organisations in Ireland and Northern Ireland with some members of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ethics and Governance Committee, who share their perspectives as non-executive directors, audit and governance advisors.   The panel discuss a range of issues including: What is on the horizon for corporate governance regulatory reform How directors and business-owners are addressing sustainability Large private and listed companies and the evolving role of the audit committee Challenges and practical considerations for SMEs and family businesses Governance challenges for charities, non-profits, and sporting organisations The effect of Covid-19 on governance. The discussion with Teresa Campbell, Keith Morrow and Barrie O’Connell is available to view on the Chartered Accountants Ireland YouTube channel: Governance Webcast Series – Interview with members of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ethics and Governance Committee.   Teresa Campbell FCA is a Director with PKF-FPM Accountants, a non-executive director, member of the Council of Chartered Accountants Ireland, and Chair of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ethics and Governance Committee. Keith Morrow FCA is Legal Entity Rationalisation lead at NortonLifeLock, a non-executive director and member of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ethics and Governance Committee. Barrie O’Connell FCA is a Partner, Head of Audit Markets and member of the Audit Executive Team at KPMG Ireland. He is a non-executive director, member of the Council of Chartered Accountants Ireland Council, and member of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ethics and Governance Committee.  

Since moving to a digital environment, knowing how to market yourself is a skill worth investing in. Rachel Killeen discusses a few ways to make yourself stand out from the online crowd. In psychology, one of the best ways to boost happiness is connecting with others and sharing skills and knowledge. This can also be good for your career profile and your business. Learning to share your skills, knowledge, and best practice is well worth the investment. Review your profile pages It is well documented that prospective employers, clients and business contacts check out your online profile before they meet you for the first time. This creates the first impression of you and your credentials. Google your name and review the profiles that relate to you and correct details out of date. Then look again at your profile to see how you can make the content relevant, useful and valuable to clients, employers or contacts who explore your profile for a specific purpose. Throughout your career, you have learned, practised and honed a unique set of skills. Have you documented those skills fully in your LinkedIn profile, on your business website and on any sites that contain your profile? It is worth updating any profiles that are more than a year old and really consider any relatable milestones in your career – roles, qualifications, experiences, and skills. Share your skills and knowledge Where possible, add new content to your profiles. Think about why a person might want to read your online profile and provide content to meet the needs of those people – help them decide that you are a person they want to work with. Over the last year, you have most likely broadened your skill base. Think about how can you share some of this material, not only to expand your online profile but also to help others. A book or article reference, a set of guidelines, answers to FAQs, an article or web page or a briefing note – any of these posted on LinkedIn, on your business website, or as an email update will provide insights for others to benefit from and help to position you as an expert in that field. Reveal your personality While the debate may rage on about business being impersonal, the human touch has gained traction in recent years as companies and practices aim to forge personal relationships and build loyalty. Reveal one or two nuggets about who you are as a person in your LinkedIn or website profile or other social media – your hobbies, your favourite music, the sports you play or follow, places you visit, and books you might recommend. Forging connections with others is more valued now than ever, especially when people work from home and miss social and personal engagement. Highlighting your personality provides opportunities for small-talk and common-ground – or even illuminating opportunities for difference and debate. Identify people you would like to connect with It’s a curious fact that when you decide you want to connect with someone, it very often just happens. You design your online profile, your website communications, your Twitter comments and social media pages for a reason – to attract new employers, new clients and new career opportunities. Who are those employers, those clients, and what opportunities would you most like to gain? Prepare your profile to meet those connections – what would a new client need from this website, from your LinkedIn profile, from your email updates? How will an employer seeking a person of your standing recognise that you are the person they require? How do professionals at the next level profile their skillset, persona, and career journey? Look at the profiles of those in the roles in which you aspire. Broadcast your capability by sharing your knowledge and actively demonstrating that you have the skills, the connections, the personality and the profile to take you to the next level. Rachel Killeen is the author of Digital Marking (2019) and is a PhD student in Women and Gender Studies at Trinity College Dublin.

To flourish, all businesses need to employ excellent talent. In an ever-increasing digital age, how can hiring managers keep up? Dr Mary Collins explores the latest recruitment technologies available. Global talent shortages are reported to be at the highest levels in 15 years, with 69% of companies globally reporting talent shortages in 2021, according to the 2021 Q3 ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage and Employment Outlook Survey. All businesses need the right talent to move forward. From the smallest start-ups to the largest global enterprises, having the right talent at the right time provides a competitive edge that can guarantee success. This is especially true of businesses relying on professionals, particularly in the knowledge economy where the margin for error in hiring decisions is low, and especially in smaller organisations, where every hire counts. But what does the recruitment landscape look like now in a digital-heavy age? The balance of power The concept of ‘The Great Reshuffle’ has gained momentum in recent times, where people are reflecting on their career values, motivations and work-life balance in a post-pandemic world. Talented people will always have choices, and it is incumbent on business leaders to continue engaging and retaining talented employees. How employers respond during times of crisis will be remembered, and a positive response will generate loyalty of current employees and an enhanced employer brand for future hires. The candidate and hiring manager have always been central to the talent-acquisition process. However, as hiring has grown in importance as a key strategic imperative for organisations, the balance of power has shifted away from the hiring manager and towards the candidate. The new rules of recruitment While traditional talent recruitment methods such as graduate hiring, agencies, and job advertisements are still necessary, new approaches must be embraced in a market of key talent. With the forced move to digital over the last few years, automated video interviews have become an increasingly popular part of the recruitment process. Instead of being on a video call with a human interviewer, the candidate will see questions and scenarios presented on screen and record themselves responding to these as though it were a traditional interview. While this may seem like an impersonal approach to recruitment, it allows greater flexibility for the candidate. Instead of scheduling a time with the recruiter, candidates can take the interview at any point, which suits those with childcare commitments during the day or even people living in different time zones. Furthermore, with robotic process automation and psychometric testing, candidates who may excel in the role but do not ‘interview well’ can be identified. Disruptive technologies Recruiters and hiring organisations should embrace disruptive technologies to broaden the talent pool. Some of the more disruptive technologies in talent acquisition are as follows: Artificial intelligence (AI): AI fact-based algorithms make more logical recruitment decisions, which can help reduce bias through screening candidates objectively and without prejudice based on defined skillsets and qualifications. Robotic process automation (RPA): Robotic process automation involves configuring software to capture and interpret a company’s existing applications for processing transactions, manipulating data, triggering responses and communicating with other systems. Natural language processing (NLP): Natural language processing (NLP) allows computers to ‘understand’ and interpret human language. When people interact with AI, natural language processing is important for creating a positive interaction. Predictive analytics: Predictive analytics uses algorithms to find patterns in data and then uses these patterns to model or predict the future. In recruitment processes, it can use large datasets on trends and patterns in hiring to show hiring managers how long it will take to fill a position and the optimum compensation and benefits packages to secure successful candidates. To attract the brightest and the best, recruiters need to ensure that they’re using the most cutting-edge technology to accommodate an ever-growing diverse talent pool. Dr Mary Collins is a Chartered Psychologist and Executive Coach at the Royal College of Surgeons. She is also the author of Recruiting Talented People (2021), published by Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Welcome to this week’s Technical Roundup.  In developments in recent weeks, IAASA has published a Consultation Paper on its proposals to adopt Standards for Investment Reporting (Ireland) (‘SIRs (Ireland)’); Accountancy Europe is calling for the European Union and its national governments to move to a sustainable and resilient economy as part of recovering from the pandemic. Read more on these and other developments that may be of interest to members below. Financial Reporting IAASA has published summary information of its financial reporting enforcement activities undertaken during 2021. The Snapshot document may be accessed here. The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) have issued a summary report entitled “Targeted disclosure: what we learnt from the field test with European preparers”. The report summarises the results of fieldwork conducted by EFRAG and the IASB on the IASB Exposure Draft Disclosure Requirements in IFRS Standards - A Pilot Approach. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has published an article on its Extractive Activities project. EFRAG has published its draft comment letter in response to the IASB's Exposure Draft ED/2021/10 Supplier Finance Arrangements and seeks constituents' views on the proposals. Comments on the draft comment letter are requested by 9 March 2022. Each year, the FRC carries out an annual review of FRS 101 to provide additional disclosure exemptions as IFRS evolves and to respond to stakeholder feedback about other possible improvements. In its 2021/2022 annual review of FRS 101 which is contained in FRED 79- FRS 101 Reduced Disclosure Framework- 2021/22 cycle, the FRC is proposing no amendment to FRS 101. The Institute has agreed with the proposal in its response to the consultation which runs until 1 March 2022. Sustainability Accountancy Europe is calling for the European Union and its national governments to move to a sustainable and resilient economy as part of recovering from the pandemic. Accountancy Europe has also issued its Sustainability January 2022 update. The IFRS Foundation Trustees have appointed Emmanuel Faber as Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board. Audit IAASA has published a Consultation Paper on its proposals to adopt Standards for Investment Reporting (Ireland) (‘SIRs (Ireland)’). The proposed effective date of the SIRs (Ireland) is for reporting accountant engagements commencing on or after 15 September 2022. Responses are requested by Friday 15 April 2022. The FRC has published its 3-year Plan for 2022-25 which acknowledges the FRC’s continued commitment to being an effective and transparent regulator as it prepares to transition to the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority. Insolvency At a recent meeting of the Eurogroup (see further below) Ministers had a discussion on the solvency situation of the corporate sector and potential measures to facilitate corporate restructuring and economic adjustment in the euro area in the recovery after the global COVID-19 pandemic. You can read the technical note to the group which gives insight into the view on policy support measures going forward including that the phasing-out of support measures should be accompanied by the adaptation of insolvency frameworks. Other Areas of Interest The Irish Charities Regulator recently published its third Statement of Strategy focussing on proportionate regulation and greater communication with charities and the public. It includes a new classification standard for charities and the provision of more support material and guidance to ensure that they are well-governed. You can read the press release here and the statement of strategy here. The Central Bank of Ireland issued a press release recently giving details of its commencement of  a public consultation on the application of the Minimum Competency Code 2017 and the Minimum Competency Regulations 2017 to credit union core services. The minimum competency standards were first introduced by the Central Bank on 1 January 2007 and established minimum professional standards for staff of financial service providers with particular emphasis on staff dealing with consumers in relation to retail financial products. The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe recently attended a meeting of Eurogroup of which he is president. Remarks he made following the meeting can be found here. Some of the matters discussed were economic adjustment and resilience in terms of recent performance of the euro area compared to international peers. You can read more about that here. They also discussed the draft European council recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area for 2022 and the solvency situation in the corporate sector (see above). The UK Government recently published its National Cyber Strategy 2022. The Minister introducing it stated that it will ensure that the UK remains confident, capable and resilient in the digital world and continues to adapt, innovate and invest in order to protect and promote UK interests in cyberspace. The strategy sets out 5 pillars to its framework with actions and outcomes intended to be achieved by 2025. The Irish Health and Safety Authority’s new Strategy Statement 2022 – 2024  and Programme of Work 2022 were launched recently. Readers may be interested in its stated key goals of its strategy statement of tackling current and emerging challenges and opportunities in Ireland’s workplaces including the introduction of remote/hybrid working, advancements in technology and the green economy, the ‘gig economy’, and the particular needs of vulnerable workers and migrant groups. The UK Financial Conduct Authority is strengthening its financial promotion rules for high risk investments, including crypto assets .It is  consulting on proposed changes to: its  classification of high-risk investments; the consumer journey into high-risk investments; strengthening the role of firms approving and communicating financial promotions; applying its financial promotion rules to qualifying cryptoassets. Click here for the FCA information page  and here for the consultation paper. The consultation closes on 23 March 2022. The Advisory Scientific Committee of the European Systemic Risk Board recently published its report on Digitalisation and the future of banking. The report considers how digitalisation may change the way financial services are provided in the future, identifying financial and non-financial risks and forming possible policy responses to them.

  In this week’s public policy bulletin, read about the Irish Minister for Finance’s comments about companies which issued dividends in addition to receiving Government support. Also covered is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s response to the Institute’s request regarding the introduction of Statutory Sick Pay; a new Scheme to regularise the status of long-term undocumented migrants residing in the Irish State; Northern Ireland’s new 22-point Action Plan for the Path to Net Zero Energy; and a report from Manufacturing NI which shows that availability of people and labour is the manufacturing economy’s key concern. Companies no longer needing State support encouraged to ‘consider their position’, Minister tells Committee The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, TD, has encouraged companies to return State support to Revenue if it is no longer required. Minister Donohue further expressed the view that it would be important that any changes to the Government’s support schemes should be proportionate and not undermine the overarching policy rationale underpinning the scheme, which is to maintain employment. Speaking to the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, Minister Donohoe this week defended the State’s administration of the Wage Subsidy Schemes which were introduced by the Government to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, pointing to the rigorous checks carried out by Revenue to ensure the eligibility of businesses, and the high degree of compliance by beneficiary firms. Specifically addressing the issue of companies which had received support and subsequently paid dividends to their shareholders, the Minister stated while it is not appropriate for him “to comment on the affairs of an individual taxpayer” and the “question of what dividends a company may or not be in position to pay to shareholders is a matter outside the current legislative remit of the scheme”, that the matter will be kept under review to assess the appropriateness of introducing any further conditionality into the scheme. He also stressed that the overwhelming majority of participants in the scheme had a genuine need for support when it had been received. The Minister further stated that that some companies subsequently had a strong financial year and ultimately considered that the State support was not required by them and returned the support received to Revenue, and he strongly encouraged other companies who are in a similar situation to consider their position.            Government responds to Institute’s request regarding timeline for introduction of Statutory Sick Pay Scheme The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has issued a response to the Institute’s letter to Government on 12 November regarding thetimeline for introducing statutory sick pay. In our letter we called on the Government to examine its ambitious timeline for the scheme’s introduction, and to engage with service providers, advisors, employers, and representative bodies to ensure that the logistics of the system are fully tested before the scheme becomes mandatory. In its response this week, the Department referred to its process of pre-legislative scrutiny, its plans to seek Government approval for presentation of the Bill to the House of the Oireachtas, and the establishment of rates of pay and calculation by Statutory Instrument. It stated that once the legislation is finalised, an information campaign will be undertaken to ‘clarify aspects of the scheme in advance of its introduction’. We will continue to seek an appropriate timeline for the introduction of such a scheme to ensure that employers are given sufficient time to prepare and that detailed guidance is issues as soon as possible. You can find the Institute’s representations to the Government on public policy issues here. Scheme to regularise the status of long-term undocumented migrants From 31 January thousands of undocumented migrants will be able to apply to regularise their status under the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants scheme. The scheme, which will run for six months from 31 January to 31 July, will apply to those who have been living in the State without permission for at least four years, or at least three years for those with children. The scheme, which is expected to benefit about 20,000 people, includes those with expired student permissions and those with pending deportation orders, who will be eligible provided they have spent the required amount of time in the State without permission. Further details regarding the qualifying criteria, required documentation for the scheme and application fees, are available on the Department’s immigration website. ESRI study increases in average take-home pay An ESRI study examining the impact of recent minimum wage increases found that while some minimum wage employees experienced a reduction in hours, average take-home pay increased. The study, funded by the Low Pay Commission, examined the cumulative effect of three recent minimum wage increases (from 2016 to 2018 when it rose from €8.65 to €9.55 per hour) on the hours worked of minimum wage employees. The findings of the study show that while the hours worked by minimum wage employees fell by almost one hour per week over the same period, the minimum wage increases were large enough to offset any earnings loss due to reduced hours, leaving the average minimum wage worker financially better off. Over 7,000 jobs created by firms supported by Local Enterprise Offices Ireland’s Local Enterprise Office network has reportedly created over 7,000 jobs, a 9 percent increase on the previous year’s figure, as well as providing training and mentoring to thousands of other firms. Approximately 85 percent of those employed in LEO-supported companies are based outside the Dublin region. Supports include the Trading Online Voucher and the 'Green for Micro' programme, which encourages businesses to become more sustainable. Commenting, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar, described these figures as “a real boost … and will contribute to our overall target of having 2.5m people in work by 2024.” Action Plan publishes for Northern Ireland’s Path to Net Zero Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister Gordon Lyons has launched a 22-point Action Plan for the region’s Path to Net Zero Energy. The publication of the action plan, which comes at a time of significant energy price rises, follows last month’s publication of The Path to Net Zero Energy which outlined a roadmap to deliver a 56 percent reduction in Northern Ireland’s energy-related emissions by 2030 and a pathway to deliver the 2050 vision of net zero carbon and affordable energy. New initiatives in the action plan include a £10million green innovation fund, a hydrogen centre of excellence and one-stop shop for energy advice. Speaking at the launch, Minister Lyons welcomed the announcement, saying it bolsters the strategy’s vision for a Green Economy, which aims to create new jobs and grow a skills base for the low carbon economy through innovation, support and focusing on our competitive strengths. Availability of workers top problem for Northern Ireland manufacturing A survey by Manufacturing NI has found the availability of workers was the biggest problem for over half of its member firms, affecting 60 percent of respondents. The survey, issued to gauge traders’ experience of the NI Protocol, saw respondents citing ‘the availability of people’ as the greatest problem they faced, with the Protocol ranking fourth out of four options, after the Covid-19 pandemic and productivity issues. “Despite the challenges of 2021, the clear view is that it is the availability of people and labour, and not the protocol, which is damaging firms and the manufacturing economy the most,” the report stated. You can find information, guidance and supports to help members understand sustainability and meet the challenges it presents in our Sustainability Centre.  Read all our updates on our Public Policy web centre 

In Irish tax developments, employees should be able to access their 2021 Preliminary End of Year Statement through My Account and subsequently submit any additional income, reliefs or credits. On the UK front, HMRC has provided more information on the 2020/21 self-assessment filing and payment easements and read the latest Agent Update and about a change to the process calling the Employer Helpline. While in international news, the European Commission has adopted its proposal for VAT exemption related to the COVID-19 response.        Ireland Employees should now be able to access their Preliminary End of Year Statement through myAccount on Revenue.ie.  The statement is based on income and statutory deductions reported by employers or pension providers to Revenue. Read more Revenue has issued a reminder to businesses significantly impacted by the public health restrictions that came into effect on 20 December 2021 of the supports that are available to them along with details about how they can be accessed.   UK                 HMRC has provided more information on the 2020/21 self-assessment filing and payment easements. Read the latest Agent Update and about a change to the process for calling the Employer Helpline.   International The European Commission has adopted its proposal for updated VAT exemption certificates for the supplies of goods and services used as part of the EU response to COVID-19 and for certain activities carried out by the armed forces. 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.

In this week’s bulletin, read about HMRC’s announcement that the CHIEF customs system will close on 31 March 2023. You can now register for a series of ‘Ask the expert’ events hosted by the Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy and the Trader Support Service team has reminded traders about the customs requirements when moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via Ireland.  We also bring you a response from HMRC in relation to our request that the Trader Support Service be extended beyond 2022. TSS extension dependent outcome of Protocol talks Following a survey of members who use the Trader Support Service (TSS), the Institute wrote to HMRC seeking that the service be extended beyond the current two-year operational timeframe. We highlighted to HMRC that should the TSS cease at the end of 2022, there is a significant risk that traders will not be in a position to file the necessary declarations either by using internal expertise or via third party intermediaries due to capacity constraints, and this will have serious implications for the flow of goods into Northern Ireland. The TSS is primarily used to move goods in or out of Northern Ireland and to date has facilitated the movement of just under 1.7 million consignments of goods into Northern Ireland. In a written response, HMRC stated that the “proposals are currently the subject of on-going discussions with the EU and the future of the TSS, including whether an extension to the current service will be required, will be tailored to reflect the outcomes of these talks.” HMRC has taken our feedback into account and will ensure that the Institute is engaged on these outcomes in due course. We will keep members updated. Closure of CHIEF customs system on 31 March 2023 HMRC will close its Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system on 31 March 2023. It will be replaced by the Customs Declaration Service (CDS). CDS will serve as the UK’s single customs platform for all declarations and all goods will need to be declared through CDS from this date. HMRC has written to affected traders encouraging exporters in particular, to move across to CDS. Read the letter. HMRC writes to traders regarding full customs controls in Great Britain HMRC has written to traders who trade with the EU in relation to the full customs controls that came into effect on 1 January 2022 between the EU (except the island of Ireland) and Great Britain. The letter contains information about the correct customs declaration to submit, the use of postponed VAT accounting, and applying the correct commodity codes, among other matters. Read the letter.   Register for ‘Ask the expert’ events in January and February To help you in the completion of supplementary declarations, the Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy will be running interactive Q&A sessions with small groups across January and February, allowing you to put complex queries to customs and trade experts.  The sessions are as follows: Having issues with setting up your API (Application Programming Interface)? - Join a one-hour webinar on 25 January or 8 February Having trouble with movements under a customs special procedure? Join a one-hour webinar on 26 January or 9 February Are your declarations stuck in Trader Input Required (TIR), with errors, draft or payment pending? Join a one-hour webinar on 27 January or 10 February Trader Support Service – are you seeking improvements to the service? In response to user feedback, the Trader Support Service (TSS) team tell us that they have implemented the following improvements and enhancements: Providing additional options for package type codes (e.g. hanging rails) Updating data fields with more meaningful field names such as ‘Item Price / Amount’ and ‘Item Currency’ Introducing e-mail notifications when updates are added to complaints records and giving you the ability to ‘reject’ complaint resolutions if you are unsatisfied Making the user experience more consistent around consignments containing controlled goods i.e. the system now makes clear what you need to complete in relation to controlled goods Improvements to supplementary declaration list views to show statuses and deadlines for action Adding links to support materials on the declaration pages within the TSS portal   The team would like users to let them know how they are doing via customer satisfaction surveys throughout 2022 so that they can continue to provide improvements to the service. Reminder: Moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via Ireland The latest Trader Support Service (TSS) Bulletin reminds readers that there are only two ways for goods to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via Ireland. A Transit process whereby goods depart from Great Britain, move through Ireland and into Northern Ireland, where they are presented to customs on arrival. This process allows the goods to move under duty suspension, until arrival in Northern Ireland, at which point an import declaration is required. The TSS offers a declarations service to support this process, including starting and ending the Transit and ending the customs procedure involved with the movement. More information can be found in the TSS Transit guide. A direct import into Ireland, whereby goods are imported and declared to customs at the point of entry into Ireland and are then in free circulation for onward movement within Ireland or for onward movement to another EU country.  The TSS does not support this movement because it is a direct import into an EU member state and therefore traders will have to make their own arrangements with regards to customs. Latest TSS bulletin The 59th edition of the TSS bulletin covers the following which readers might find interesting: How the annual update of commodity codes might impact you Applying to the UK Trader Scheme for goods not ‘at risk’ of moving to the EU Apply for an using a Duty Deferment Account How to successfully move controlled goods to Northern Ireland.

On 18 January the Ulster Society Public Sector sub-Committee hosted a webinar examining the topic of cybersecurity and how organisations can be better prepared. This webinar featured presentations from Colm McDonnell, Partner in the Deloitte Risk Advisory Practice in Ireland and Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). A recording of this webinar is available to view for free and on demand HERE A pdf of Colm's presentation is available HERE A pdf of Gina's presentation is available HERE

IAASA has published a Consultation Paper on its proposals to adopt Standards for Investment Reporting (Ireland) (‘SIRs (Ireland)’). SIR (Ireland) 1000 – Investment Reporting Standards Applicable to all Engagements in Connection with an Investment Circular SIR (Ireland) 2000 – Investment Reporting Standards Applicable to Public Reporting Engagements on Historical Financial Information SIR (Ireland) 3000 – Investment Reporting Standards Applicable to Public Reporting Engagements on Profit Forecasts SIR (Ireland) 4000 – Investment Reporting Standards Applicable to Public Reporting Engagements on Pro Forma Financial Information SIR (Ireland) 5000 – Investment Reporting Standards Applicable to Public Reporting Engagements on Financial Information Reconciliations under the Listing Rules SIR (Ireland) 6000 – Investment Reporting Standards Applicable to Public Reporting Engagements on Quantified Financial Benefits Statements The purpose of this consultation paper is to obtain the views of stakeholders with regard to IAASA’s proposals to adopt the SIRs (Ireland). The consultation paper is available here. The six proposed SIRs (Ireland) are available here. The proposed effective date of the SIRs (Ireland) is for reporting accountant engagements commencing on or after 15 September 2022.  IAASA has prepared a short information video which is available here. Stakeholders and interested parties are invited to provide responses  to submissions@iaasa.ie no later than 5pm on Friday 15 April 2022.

Agent Update: issue 91 is now available and contains the latest guidance and information for tax agents and advisers. As set out in a recent Tax Agent blog post, a change has also been made to the Employer Helpline calling process. When calling the Employer Helpline, callers must be able to confirm the relevant PAYE or Accounts Office reference. If this cannot be provided, HMRC will only be able to provide general advice. For more information, read the blog post in full. In the latest edition of the Agent Update, HMRC sets out the five of the most common mistakes around the corporate intangibles regime and asks for your help to keep an eye out for these and to help your clients to get things right. Agent Update Issue 91 also includes:- Reporting SEISS grants on self-assessment tax returns; National Insurance holiday for employers of veterans; Naming tax avoidance promoters; NIC increase and health and social care levy; Self-assessment repayments; and Next steps in HMRC’s project on raising standards in the tax advice market.

In this week’s EU exit corner, we bring you emails from HMRC about the closure of CHIEF (the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight) system and full customs controls in addition to the latest guidance updates. See also our most recent EU exit bulletin which features every Friday in Chartered Accountants News. Miscellaneous updated guidance The following documents/guidance relevant to EU exit have been updated/published recently:-   Search the register of customs agents and fast parcel operators; Proving originating status and claiming a reduced rate of Customs Duty for trade between the UK and EU; Check if there are any delays at an inland border facility; Moving goods through the Port of Holyhead; Attending an inland border facility; Customs Declaration Completion Requirements for The Northern Ireland Protocol; High risk food and feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO): official certificates; Claim a waiver for duty on goods that you bring to Northern Ireland from Great Britain or countries outside the UK and EU; List of sensitive goods when declaring to inward or outward processing; and Proving originating status and claiming a reduced rate of Customs Duty for trade between the UK and EU.