At the most recent meeting of the Tax Administration Liaison Committee (TALC) Collection sub-committee, Revenue acknowledged that recent changes to ROS resulted in error reports when returns where completed using third party software packages. To avoid any such future occurrences, Revenue is setting up a technical forum to facilitate better communication between software providers, and Revenue IT technicians. If you provide software solutions for tax practitioners, please email us at tax@charteredaccountants.ie with relevant contact details if you wish to participate in the forum.

Last Tuesday HMRC held its Annual Stakeholder Conference in London which the Institute was represented at by our UK Tax Manager, Leontia Doran. Under the conference theme ‘Navigating the future together: the Transformation Roadmap in Action’, attendees heard more from HMRC’s new CEO and First Permanent Secretary, JP Marks, about the ambitious plans in its Transformation Roadmap, which we previously provided an update on in July. Attendees also took part in a series of workshops, all of which were themed around the roadmap, and which provided the Institute with a key opportunity to directly engage with several senior leaders in HMRC. In his speech, JP Marks spoke frankly about the challenges which lie ahead but importantly also recognised the need for greater openness and transparency. He set out his vision for even greater collaboration between agents and HMRC in which he sees both groups working together as stewards and custodians of the UK tax ecosystem. It is clear that Mr Marks sees co-creation and collaboration as key to achieving HMRC’s goals in the future. The Institute recently wrote a letter of introduction to Mr Marks ahead of the conference setting out four key issues on our agenda. These are as follows: The Institute’s campaign for a lower rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland, The tax burden and complexity arising from cross-border and remote/hybrid working, Tax simplification and the lack of progress in this area, and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and the implementation of mandatory tax adviser registration from 1 April 2026. Building on previous annual conferences, the tone of the conference was ultimately collaborative and optimistic with a clear focus on innovation and partnership. Simplification of tax administration was another key theme, one which the Institute has been vocal about for some time. As HMRC strives to make administration largely digitalised and user-friendly, the protection of taxpayer data from cyber threats is also a top priority. Attendees heard in person from the new Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (XST), Dan Tomlinson MP, who in his speech spoke about his role’s three key priorities, which are unchanged from those of his predecessor, and how these fit with the roadmap. The XST also shared updates on the expansion of HMRC’s compliance and debt management teams and his speech confirmed that he has taken up the role of Chair of the HMRC Board. As a reminder, the three key priorities of the XST are: Improving day-to-day performance and the overall taxpayer experience, Closing the tax gap, and Driving reform and modernisation of the UK’s tax and customs system.

Last week the Institute launched its latest survey on Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. With just over six months to go to commencement, we  are inviting tax agents and businesses to take our short eight question survey. Take the survey now. We also remind readers that HMRC recently launched a new MTD for Income Tax direct support campaign for agents.

In the last week, the Institute has responded to three technical consultations on draft legislation launched on L-day in July. Two of the consultations focus specifically on the behaviour of tax agents and fall under HMRC’s ‘Raising standards in the tax advice market’ project: ‘Enhancing HMRC’s powers and sanctions against tax adviser facilitated non-compliance’ and ‘Modernising and Mandating Tax Adviser Registration’. In both submissions, the Institute is recommending that the proposals therein are delayed until at least 1 April 2027. The Institute also responded to the consultation ‘Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and penalty reform’. Enhancing HMRC’s powers and sanctions against tax adviser facilitated non-compliance This consultation contains draft legislation to enhance HMRC’s powers against agents who facilitate non-compliance and includes the following measures which are currently scheduled to commence from 1 April 2026: Issuing file access notices to advisers suspected of facilitating non-compliance (the behaviour involved is reduced from dishonest conduct to deliberate behaviour), Significantly increased penalties where there is evidence of such behaviour, and Publication of details of advisers subject to any HMRC agent sanction. The key recommendations in the Institute’s submission are that implementation should be paused to commence no earlier than 1 April 2027 given our concerns about the lack of effective safeguards in the draft legislation. A range of new safeguards have therefore been proposed, in addition to citing the need for HMRC to revisit the highly disproportionate penalties in the draft legislation (which are currently based on the potential lost revenue to the Exchequer of the agent’s client). Modernising and Mandating Tax Adviser Registration This consultation examines the proposal that from 1 April 2026, subject to a three month transition period, all tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients must register with HMRC and will not be registered unless they meet ‘minimum standards’. The requirement to register will not initially apply to those who already have an Agent Services Account. Anyone who is not registered will be unable to represent their clients. Registration applications will require the name and address of the tax adviser and each ‘senior manager’ (essentially those at the highest level in the business, though not just those working in tax), together with confirmation that the eligibility conditions are met. To be eligible, the tax adviser and each senior manager must meet certain conditions including, inter alia, that they have no outstanding tax returns or payments and that they meet certain standards expected of tax advisers (which will be set and published by HMRC). There are also powers for HMRC to monitor eligibility and compliance with the rules on an ongoing basis and hefty sanctions for agents who fail to comply. The Institute made the following recommendations in its submission: Given concerns that the proposals are a form of quasi-regulation of members of Professional Bodies who are already subject to heavy regulation, registration should be delayed to no earlier than 1 April 2027 to allow for more in depth consultation, The definition of ‘senior manager’ should only apply to those who provide tax services, and, Further detailed consultation is required on the proposed sanctions in the draft legislation, given the link to the potential for the agent’s details to be published under the consultation on ‘Enhancing HMRC’s powers and sanctions against tax adviser facilitated non-compliance’. Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax and penalty reform This consultation legislates for the changes announced in March at the Spring Statement. In our submission, the Institute’s key ask remains that the Government monitors readiness and progress and listens to and acts on feedback from stakeholders. Although our main objective is to drive the MTD readiness of our members ahead of time, the Institute will continue to listen to and share members concerns as April 2026 approaches, and where appropriate, seek mitigations from this policy change. The Institute is flagging early that there is a high likelihood there will need to be some form of ‘soft landing’ for taxpayers, given the significance of this once in a generation change. HMRC should consider this and announce any soft landing, in particular it’s format, application, and parameters, as early as possible. The Institute raised concerns across a range of other areas including the ability of HMRC to cancel/ reset penalties/penalty points, exemptions, the calendar quarters election, and the definition of digital records. We also took the opportunity to raise concerns about the extension of MTD to those with qualifying income less than £30,000 from April 2028.

Revenue has commenced an information campaign on the upcoming revaluation period for Local Property Tax (LPT) and confirmed it will be corresponding with property owners over the next few weeks to outline the relevant compliance obligations.  Revenue has also updated its Local Property Tax (LPT) portal to enable property owners to update their property valuations in advance of the filing deadline of 7 November 2025. A revaluation of properties for LPT purposes is required on 1 November 2025 and will apply for the years 2026 to 2030 inclusive. Property owners are required to: Value the property as at 1 November 2025, Submit the property valuation to Revenue and file a return by 7 November 2025, and Confirm the preferred payment arrangement for 2026. Agents are encouraged to check LPT compliance with their clients in advance of the income tax filing deadlines to avoid unnecessary delays and exposure to the LPT surcharge. Further details are available in a previous news item outlining the changes announced in the General Scheme of Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2025.

In this week’s detailed miscellaneous updates which you can read more about below, HMRC has published the latest Agent Update and this week several webinars are taking place looking at internships and the National Minimum Wage. In other news this week: The House of Lords Finance Bill Sub-Committee has launched a call for evidence into the latest Finance Bill, which the Institute will be responding to, The latest schedule of HMRC Talking Points live and recorded webinars for tax agents are available for booking. Spaces are limited, so take a look now and save your place, and Check HMRC’s online services availability page for details of planned downtime and the online services affected. Latest Agent Update Agent Update: Issue 135 is available now. Get the latest guidance and information on: Guidelines for Compliance: help ensure documents filed with HMRC are correct and complete, Final reminder: UK businesses in climate change agreements to report annual tax subsidy awards to HMRC by‌‌‌ 30‌‌‌ September‌‌‌ 2025, Update on winter fuel payments recovery through the tax system, Opportunity for agents to join HMRC forums, and 'Tax Help for hustles' campaign: new resources for agents and their clients. Internships and the National Minimum Wage new live webinars Are your clients accidentally underpaying their workers? Join a HMRC webinar to find out more. Many employers think 'interns' can work for free, but in the majority of cases they are workers for National Minimum Wage (NMW) purposes. That’s exactly why so many businesses unintentionally fall short, even when they think they’re doing everything right. HMRC’s NMW team are delivering brand-new live webinars this week looking at internships and the NMW. You’ll learn: How to determine whether an intern is a worker for NMW purposes, Scenarios and common pitfalls that could be affecting your payroll right now, and What to do if an underpayment occurs. Plus, get your burning questions answered live. HMRC’s expert panel will be on hand to answer questions. Whether you’re an employer wanting to stay compliant or an accountant advising clients, these sessions will give you the confidence and knowledge to navigate NMW requirements with more certainty. Secure your spot now, because getting it right the first time is always better than fixing it later. Book onto a webinar now: Tuesday‌‌‌ 23‌‌‌ September‌‌‌ 2025, and Thursday‌‌‌ 25‌‌‌ September‌‌‌ 2025.  

In this week’s cross-border trading corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications. The most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is also available as is the latest Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs team. Lord Murphy of Torfaen has now completed his Independent Review of the Windsor Framework and the UK Government has sent an email setting out details of the new export health certificate which took effect last month. Independent Review of the Windsor Framework Earlier this month Lord Murphy of Torfaen published his report on the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework (WF). Despite the disparate views of local political parties on the WF, the report sets out that the parties have put forward important and practical suggestions on how improvements to its operation could be made.  The key elements of the report can be summarised as follows: Small and medium-sized companies are struggling with the new rules and processes, Some gaps remain in how Northern Ireland can meaningfully influence EU laws that apply to it, and The recent sanitary and phytosanitary agreement between the UK and EU is a significant advancement which promises practical improvements to NI-GB trade. Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows: Using a special procedure without a prior authorisation, Apply to pay less duty on goods you import for specific uses, Sailing a pleasure craft into the UK temporarily for private use, External temporary storage facilities codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service, Appendix 2 C21e: Data Element 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes, Appendix 2: DE 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), and Withdraw funds from your Customs Declaration Service cash account.

Finalists announced for the 48th Published Accounts Awards Chartered Accountants Ireland Leinster Society has announced its shortlist for the 48th Annual Published Accounts Awards. These awards honour outstanding achievement in corporate reporting, celebrating companies across the island of Ireland that demonstrate excellence, transparency, and innovation in financial communication. This year’s shortlist includes a total of 27 public and private companies, and 9 not-for-profit organisations. The winners will be announced at a prestigious gala evening, taking place in The Shelbourne Hotel on Thursday 6th November. Euronext Growth Award Origin Enterprises Uniphar Euronext Dublin (SME < €1bn) Dalata Hotel Group FBD Holdings Glenveagh Properties Hostelworld Irish Residential Properties REIT Irish Continental Group Kenmare Resources Euronext Dublin (Large Cap > €1bn) AIB Bank of Ireland Glanbia Company Listed on a Foreign Market DCC Flutter Entertainment Grafton Group Oneview Healthcare Statutory or Unlisted Entity (IFRS) An Post EirGrid ESB Northern Ireland Water Statutory or Unlisted Entity (Non-IFRS) Central Bank of Ireland CIÉ - Córas Iompair Éireann Coillte CGA daa Gas Networks Ireland Irish Football Association Tusla, Child & Family Agency Arachas Not for Profit - Large Barnardos Barretstown Concern Worldwide Focus Ireland CLG Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health Kare Arachas Not for Profit - Small / Medium Dogs Trust Irish FA Foundation The Wheel In addition to the category awards, there are also a number of other awards consisting of the: Overall Winner’s Award, Sustainability and ESG Reporting Award Unlisted entities, Branding, Communication and Digital Award, Diversity and Inclusion Award - Not for Profit Diversity and Inclusion Award - Listed and Unlisted entities Full details on the dedicated PAA webpage: https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/Leinster/PAA EVENT DETAILS Thursday 6th November 2025 The Shelbourne Hotel, 7pm M.C.: Multi award-winning satirist, mimic, comedian and host Mario Rosenstock Tickets: €150 per person / €1500 for a table of ten Booking & Info: leinstersociety@charteredaccountants.ie Dress Code: Business / Cocktail Sponsored by: Arachas and Euronext Dublin Media Partner: Business Post

Welcome to the latest edition of Technical Roundup. In developments since the last edition, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has issued an Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity which contains 85 actions for strengthening our competitiveness and productivity performance presented across six themes. The Financial Reporting Council has also released two new Factsheets to assist FRS 102 preparers and readers may be interested in registering for some of our free upcoming CPD events. Read more on these and other developments that may be of interest to members below. Financial Reporting The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has issued two new factsheets to support entities applying FRS 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its second risk monitoring report of 2025 setting out the key risk drivers currently facing EU financial markets. Registration is still open for our free, in-person events with the FRC in Belfast on 15 October and Dublin on 16 October. These events will focus on the implementation of the 2024 Periodic Review amendments to FRS 102 and FRS 105. Places are limited and are booking fast so register now if you would like to attend. The IFRS Foundation is hosting a webinar on 30 September with the theme of how companies are integrating IFRS Accounting Standards into products and services. Auditing and Assurance IAASA has released its second publication as part of its 2025 AQS Insight Series which focuses on key messages in relation to auditing of financial statement disclosures. The FRC has launched a new initiative to support the development of the capability and quality management by small audit firms looking to establish a greater presence in the UK Public Interest Entity (PIE) audit market. The Scalebox Programme will introduce a new and more proportionate supervisory approach, designed to enhance audit quality and reflect the unique needs of smaller firms. The European Commission has announced an intention to launch a consultation which could lead to measures to further convergence in audit supervision. Accountancy Europe’s recent article discusses the implications of this and has recommended some key priorities of any future supervision reform. Artificial intelligence (AI) In September 2025 the Irish government advanced the rollout of the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, confirming the designation of 15 National Competent Authorities under the AI Act. Ireland becomes one of the first six Member States to reach the critical milestone of designating the competent authorities which will be responsible for enforcement of the Act. Sustainability On Tuesday 23 September, Chartered Accountants Ireland will be hosting a webinar with the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) on the Revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). If you would like to register to attend this free outreach event, you can do so via our website. IAASA has released a Thematic Desktop Examination on Sustainability-linked financing. The thematic examination looked at the annual reports of 17 equity issuers listed on the main market of Euronext Dublin. As the public consultation on the ESRS enters its final few days, EFRAG has prepared some informative videos and a factsheet on the proposed simplifications to the standards. The consultation remains open until 29 September. EFRAG are hosting a hybrid event on 6 October on the VSME standard entitled “The VSME Standard in Action: From the European Commission’s Recommendation to Digital Solutions.” Accountancy Europe has updated its CSRD Transposition Overview which monitors the CSRD transposition status across the EEA countries. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) will be hosting episode 12 of their “Perspectives on sustainability disclosure” webinar series on 6th October. Accountancy Europe has published its September 2025 Sustainability Update. Anti-money laundering and sanctions From our Professional Standards colleagues: we remind readers of how to be an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) with Companies House in the UK. From 18 March 2025, you can apply to become an ACSP using Companies House new service ‘Apply to register as a Companies House authorised agent’. - To register you must be supervised for AML in the UK. - When completing the application process, you will be asked to provide your firm identity number - that will be your Institute firm number. Please ensure that the firm’s business name, address and any trading names provided to Companies House match what is recorded with the Institute, otherwise your application may be rejected. Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) The Central Bank has published its third Quarterly Bulletin of 2025.  The Central Bank has launched a consultation regarding proposed amendments to the Central Bank Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) Regulations and the Central Bank Guidance on performance fees for UCITS and certain types of Retail Investor Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs). The Central Bank has launched a consultation regarding proposed amendments to the Central Bank Alternative Investment Fund Rulebook (AIF Rulebook). Other news With busy filing season almost upon us again we outline some tips and pointers for the busy Annual Return filing season which may help you navigate the process with the Companies Registration Office. We advise readers to file early if at all possible. In September 2025 the President of the European Commission delivered her State of the Union address to the European Parliament. She shares her vision for the EU, takes stock of achievements and announces major upcoming initiatives. Please click for the Letter of Intent where she detailed the actions the Commission intended to take in the following year by means of legislation and other initiatives. Click here for the document “From promise to progress: first year in office Von der Leyen Commission 2024-2029”. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) has issued an Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity which contains 85 actions for strengthening our competitiveness and productivity performance presented across six themes. In other DETE news, it is holding a webinar on export controls on 25 September 2025 from 10AM to 12.30PM. The webinar is designed for current exporters, potential exporters and agents acting on behalf of exporters. Click to find out more details and to register for the webinar. The Pensions Authority has published its Annual Report and Accounts 2024. The Report and Accounts, and an accompanying statement from the Pensions Regulator is available here. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) continues to flag critical vulnerabilities identified in September 2025 regarding cyber security issues that may affect Ireland as part of the ‘Alerts and Advisories’ section of its website. Recent vulnerabilities noted for SAP products, Ivanti products, and Adobe products. Th NCSC recommends installing updates for vulnerable systems. Click NCSC: News for further details. For further technical information and updates please visit the Technical Hub on the Institute website.      This information is provided as resources and information only and nothing in the information purports to provide professional advice or definitive legal interpretation(s) or opinion(s) on the applicable legislation or legal or other matters referred to in the information. If the reader is in doubt on any matter in this complex area further legal or other advice must be obtained. While every reasonable care has been taken by the Institute in the preparation of the information we do not guarantee the accuracy or veracity of any resource, guidance, information or opinion, or the appropriateness, suitability or applicability of any practice or procedure contained therein. The Institute is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of the resources or information contained herein.

In Irish news, Revenue publishes guidance on registering for Pillar Two and also publishes guidance on disclosure opportunities for businesses impacted by the Supreme Court decision in Karshan. In UK news, the Institute writes to the new CEO of HMRC and read the latest updates from HMRC including a project looking at multi-factor authentication for agents. In International news this week, the OECD publishes its annual report on Tax Policy Reforms. Ireland 1. Revenue has published new guidance on the registration process for Pillar Two taxes. 2. Revenue has published the Karshan Disclosure Opportunity Guidance, outlining detailed information regarding possible settlement arrangements arising from the Supreme Court’s decision in Revenue Commissioners v Karshan (Midlands) Ltd. UK 3. Ahead of HMRC’s Annual Stakeholder Conference which took place in London earlier this week, the Institute wrote a letter of introduction to HMRC’s new CEO setting out four key issues on our agenda. 4. In a detailed miscellaneous update this week which you can read more about below, HMRC is seeking research participants for its project looking at multi-factor authentication (MFA) for agents. International 5. The OECD has published its annual report on Tax Policy Reforms for 2025. 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 trading corner here.

The FISC Subcommittee on Tax Matters will hold a public hearing on the tax implications of the Trump administration’s policies next week on Tuesday 23 September 2025. The hearing is an opportunity to both consider the evolving dynamics of EU-U.S. tax relations and to reflect on how the EU can safeguard its interests in a rapidly changing global context.

The OECD has published its annual report on Tax Policy Reforms for 2025. The report covers the tax policy reforms introduced or announced in 2024 in 86 member jurisdictions of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), which includes all OECD countries.