In developments this week, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has issued a public consultation for its 2024-2027 proposed strategy and work plan; the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment has announced that it will hold a webinar on 26 January 2023 (10am-12pm) to inform stakeholders of the new requirements and standards in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and accompanying standards. Read more on these and other developments that may be of interest to members below. Financial Reporting The FRC are holding a webinar on 19 January on its recently released Exposure Draft “FRED 82”, which sets out the FRC’s Draft amendments to FRS 102 proposed as part of the periodic review of the standard. In its recently released Exposure Draft, the IASB has proposed a temporary exception in relation to accounting for deferred tax arising from the implementation of the OECD Pillar Two model rules. Comments are requested by the IASB by 10 March 2023. The UK Endorsement Board (UKEB) has published a Draft Endorsement Criteria Assessment (DECA) on Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback —Amendments to IFRS 16 (the Amendments) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in September 2022. These amendments add requirements explaining how a seller-lessee subsequently accounts for sale and leaseback transactions with variable lease payments that do not depend on an index or rate. Auditing The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has issued a public consultation for its 2024-2027 proposed strategy and work plan. The strategy seeks to accelerate the actions originally laid out in the 2020-2023 strategy with a focus on standard setting that supports the performance of high-quality audit and assurance engagements. Sustainability In its latest podcast, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) discuss recent decisions and discussions from the ISSB meeting in December. The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) has announced that it will hold a webinar on 26 January 2023 (10am-12pm) to inform stakeholders of the new requirements and standards in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and accompanying standards. DETE also says that a public consultation will be launched seeking views to inform Ireland’s transposition of the discretionary options of the Directive into national law. While acknowledging that it is a US report, in the light of ongoing developments in sustainability, readers might be interested in the Climate Action Report released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System recently. This report reviews the climate action plans of global systemically important banks (“G-SIBs”) and summarizes the progress they are making toward achieving them. Click here to access the website of Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and here to access the full paper. An abstract from the report states that despite some progress by large global banks to address climate change considerations, much work lies ahead to properly measure and disclose climate-related risks, and to better align financing activities with their net-zero targets. Insolvency The Institute is hosting a webinar on Options for directors’ in financial difficulty on Thursday, 9 February 2023. We will outline directors’ duties and obligations when a business is in financial difficulty, and possible consequences for directors for not adhering to those duties and obligations. There will be discussion on the recent insolvency related changes to Companies Act 2014 on the expansion of directors’ duties. Under the Joint Insolvency Committee’s (JIC’s) strategic work plan, Statements of Insolvency Practice (SIPs) are subject to periodic review in order to ensure they remain relevant to changing legislation and market conditions. Following consultations with the profession and other stakeholders, including the Insolvency Service, HMRC and major creditor representatives, a revised version of SIP 3.1 – Individual Voluntary Arrangements has now been approved by the JIC and the Recognised Professional Bodies for implementation with effect from 1 March 2023.  The revised SIP 3.1 applies in Northern Ireland, England and Wales. Other Areas of Interest The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) recently published its Mergers & Acquisitions Report 2022 which includes statistics on the number of mergers and acquisitions notified and decided in 2022. There was a 16% decrease in notified mergers from 2021 and one proposed acquisition was prohibited. In the case of the proposed banking transaction Bank of Ireland /KBC, the CCPC imposed a commitment on Bank of Ireland of the provision of one billion euro to non-bank lenders to support competitive developments in the mortgage market. In publishing its banking decisions, the CCPC says that it took the opportunity to raise concerns in relation to the overall competitiveness of the banking sector in Ireland and has continued to engage with the Department of Finance and the Central Bank on these matters. Readers can access a copy of the Mergers & Acquisitions report here. For further technical information and updates please visit the Technical Hub on the Institute website.    

Each year in January we have Blue Monday.  Often referred to as the most depressing day of the year, researchers have cited the third Monday of January as a day when we are at our lowest, but it doesn’t have to be this way.  Blue Monday was awarded the gloomy title due to a combination of reasons. Christmas and New Year joy has evaporated, resolutions and motivation begin to crack and wane, finances can be stretched and we find ourselves in the thick of winter.  However, it is important not to allow the concept to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The day can present an opportunity to check in with yourself, practise some self-care and a chance to look after your physical and mental health. Perhaps it is time to retrain our brain and change our outlook on the month itself- maybe January could be a time for gentleness, reflection and self-compassion rather than abstinence and self-criticism. January is a bleak month but a positive spin on the gloomy dark days of winter is to think of the days getting a little brighter with each one that passes and is another step closer to Spring and Summer. There is something reassuring about the subtle change in nature in anticipation of better weather that can lift our spirits and encourage us to look to the future. Or why not carve out some time for yourself this blue Monday and make plans to brighten up the day.  Enjoy a sunrise morning walk Have a slow, gentle morning or breakfast Spend quality time with family/kids  Explore, and appreciate, your local area and surrounds Get out in nature Plan an adventure or complete a task you have been avoiding Embrace online learning Tackle that big DIY project and much-avoided clear-out Develop a new gardening skills Learn to cook or bake something new Catch up with friends Activity/Health Now is a good time as we start new beginnings to think about your health. Being active and having a healthy heart has never been more important. A regular walk will make a big difference and there is plenty of workouts or classes online, no matter what your fitness level. Carve out time for you!  Self-care Managing our stress and anxiety levels is essential and many people use meditation or yoga. But everyone is different, and some find painting or gardening works. Explore some options and find what works for you.  Appreciation The New Year gives us time to reflect and consider our surroundings, our family, friends, and appreciate all that is good in our lives. It also gives us the opportunity to consider changing things which perhaps were not so good for us.   

Revenue has updated the guidelines on the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) with additional information following queries received by businesses wishing to avail of the scheme. A summary of the changes is outlined in the “What’s new” page at the beginning of the guidelines. Preliminary statistics published last week by Revenue show that there are 8,849 businesses currently registered with Revenue for TBESS, with €5.9 million paid in respect of 2,984 approved claims valued €6.64 million. Over one third of the claims for TBESS came from the wholesale and retail sector, with nearly another third of claims from the accommodation and food services sector. Read the complete statistics here.

Revenue has launched the e-tender process to establish the 2022/23 panel of experts who may be called upon to assist review claims for the Research & Development Tax Credit. The link to the 2022/23 e-tender application process is included in the updated Tax and Duty Manual under the footnote on page 2 and can be accessed here.

Revenue has created a Tax and Duty Manual to provide guidance on the operation of the Accelerated Capital Allowances for Farm Safety Equipment scheme available under section 285D TCA 1997. Section 285D TCA 1997 provides for a scheme of accelerated capital allowances for capital expenditure incurred, on certain farm safety equipment, by a person carrying on a trade of farming. The expenditure must be incurred in the period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023 and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine must certify the expenditure. Once certified, the expenditure can be written off at a rate of 50 percent per annum over two years. The scheme is subject to an overall annual budget of €5 million (excluding VAT). Additionally, there is a limit of €500,000 on the total amount of relief that can be granted to any person under this scheme.

Exchequer figures for 2022 show tax revenues increased by 22 percent relative to 2021 with €83.1 billion collected in total – the highest ever tax take. Contributing to this were income tax receipts of €30.7 billion (15 percent higher than 2021, and consistent with the strong post-pandemic recovery in employment), corporation tax receipts of €22.6 billion (a 50 percent increase on 2021), and VAT receipts of €18.6 billion (up 20 percent on last year). An Exchequer surplus of €5 billion was recorded to end-December 2022. This compares with a deficit of €7.4 billion in 2021 and the improvement reflects the significant increases in tax revenue and decline in Covid-related public expenditure. For the first time ever last year, corporation tax receipts were the State’s second-largest income stream. However, a significant part of this income is expected to be once-off in nature. It is also notable that the corporation tax figures for December were below levels expected by the Department of Finance. Commenting on the figures, Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath said: “The end-2022 Exchequer figures show a large headline surplus was recorded last year. This reflects a number of factors, including robust income tax and VAT receipts, both of which reflect the strength of the post-pandemic recovery in demand and employment. The phasing out of Covid-related expenditure is another reason for the surplus last year. By far the most important factor behind the headline surplus is the strength of corporation tax revenue – receipts from this source have doubled since just before the pandemic. My Department estimates that around half of these receipts are potentially at risk – if these receipts were excluded, we would instead be facing a significant deficit. That is why Government has acted to mitigate this vulnerability by transferring part of this windfall to the National Reserve Fund to rebuild our fiscal resources. It is also important to stress that today’s figures are, of course, backward looking. They do not offer a guide as to the challenges that we will have to address going forward. Keeping the public finances on a sustainable trajectory puts us in the best position to meet these future challenges. That is what this Government will continue to do.” Further details are included in the Fiscal Monitor December 2022.

Revenue recently published preliminary results for 2022 which provides data on tax and duty collected, compliance rates, the yield from interventions along with details of assistance provided under critical government support schemes.   Revenue collected €62.2 billion in taxes and duties and over €22.3 billion on behalf of other government departments, agencies, and EU Member States.  Timely compliance rates by Irish taxpayers for 2022 remains strong with 98 percent compliance by taxpayers in Revenue’s Large Cases and 96 percent in Medium Cases Divisions and compliance at a rate of 86 percent in other divisions of Revenue.  Revenue conducted risk management interventions generating €813 million. Revenue also secured 9 convictions for serious tax evasion and fraud, published 53 tax settlements in the List of Tax Defaulters and settled 104 tax avoidance cases yielding €16.1 million. Revenue oversaw the payment of €806.6 million under the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to 23,330 eligible employers in respect of 327,242 employees. The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme has paid claims of €5.9 million to 2,984 businesses in its short time of operation. More than 70,000 businesses and individuals are availing of the Debt Warehousing Scheme in respect of just over €2.48 billion of tax debt. For more details on Revenue preliminary results for 2022 see Revenue’s press release.

Revenue has published a Tax and Duty Manual clarifying the tax treatment of payments received under the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme launched in April 2022. Individuals who qualify for the scheme receive a payment of €325 per week. The scheme is administered by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media and is open to eligible artists and creative arts workers.

Welcome to this week’s Technical Roundup.  In developments this week, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) is seeking comments on its draft endorsement advice on amendments to IAS 1; IAASA has published its key messages for auditors in the area of related parties, the Irish Government in recent weeks launched its Climate Action Plan 2023; the Irish Corporate Enforcement Authority has this week published an Information Note on the topic of Early Warning Tools and Restructuring Frameworks. Read more on these and other developments that may be of interest to members below. Financial Reporting The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) is seeking comments on its draft endorsement advice on amendments to IAS 1. Comments are requested by 1 March 2023. EFRAG has also issued its December 2022 update. The UK Endorsement Board (UKEB) has published a Draft Endorsement Criteria Assessment on Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback —Amendments to IFRS 16 (the Amendments) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in September 2022. Comments are requested from stakeholders by 5 April 2023. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has issued itsDecember 2022 update The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued its December 2022 IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard Update. This includes FAQs on the proposed amendments to the IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard and some new resources to support the ongoing consultation. The IASB has also released its December 2022 podcast and the IFRS Foundation has released its monthly news summary. Auditing IAASA has published its key messages for auditors in the area of related parties, and IAASA’s YouTube channel also now includes a video that shares questions asked by IAASA’s audit inspectors during 2022 in the area of related parties. IAASA’s new video provides information on the revised ISA (Ireland) 315 Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement. ISA 315 is effective for financial periods beginning on or after 15 December 2021. The Irish Government in recent weeks launched its Climate Action Plan 2023. This sets out how Ireland will accelerate the action required to respond to the climate crisis, putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development. Some details of the plan are contained in the government press release and it is intended that an Annex to the Climate Action Plan, outlining more detail on the Plan’s actions, will be published early in 2023. The European Commission recently published two draft notices containing FAQs relating to the Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act and the Taxonomy Regulation. The first Draft Commission Notice is regarding the interpretation and implementation of certain legal provisions of the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act establishing technical screening criteria for economic activities that contribute substantially to climate change mitigation or climate change adaptation and do no significant harm to other environmental objective. The second Draft Commission Notice relates to the interpretation and implementation of certain legal provisions of the Disclosures Delegated Act under Article 8 of EU Taxonomy Regulation on the reporting of taxonomy-eligible and taxonomy-aligned economic activities and assets (second Commission Notice). Insolvency The Irish Corporate Enforcement Authority has this week published an Information Note on the topic of Early Warning Tools and Restructuring Frameworks. The CEA states that the purpose of the document is to provide assistance to company directors in understanding certain aspects of the European Union (Preventive Restructuring) Regulations 2022. Specifically, the Information Note has been prepared with a view to assisting company directors to understand the importance of maintaining adequate accounting records, what is meant by a company being in financial difficulty, being unable to pay its debts and being insolvent respectively, specific aspects of company directors’ duties where a company is in financial difficulty, and the potential consequences of non-compliance with company directors’ duties. You can read the CEA news item on the Information Note here, the Information Note can be accessed here and a feedback statement from the CEA on the public consultation can also be accessed. Readers’ attention is drawn to a recent high court case from late 2022, in the matter of Spencer Dock Development Company Limited (in liquidation). In the case the High court initially refused to approve payment of fees to a company in which the official liquidator had an interest, but which company was a third party. The court discussed the liquidator as a fiduciary and the role of trust of the liquidator. The court also noted that the main creditor in the liquidation was NAMA which the taxpayer funds and the court referred to its obligation to have regard to the interests of the taxpayer. Subsequently the fee was revised and all payable to the liquidators and the court approved this. Anti-money laundering, economic crime, cyber security The European Banking Authority issued its 9th AML/CFT Newsletter in recent weeks. It contains information which might be of interest. For example, on EuReCA, the European Reporting system for AML/CFT material weaknesses launched in January of last year. Also, information on the publication of final Remote Customer Onboarding Guidelines in November 2022, a consultation on Guidelines to tackle de-risking and the publication of its 2022 Risk Assessment Report. Read the full newsletter at the above link. The National Crime Authority in the UK has in recent weeks issued its December edition of SARs in Action. The publication contains interesting information including case studies on SARs and a listing of red flag indicators for the crime of sexual exploitation. In recent weeks HM Treasury in the UK published its Anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism: Supervision Report 2020-22. The report covers a number of matters which may be of interest including a listing at section 3.53 of the most common AML breaches identified by the accountancy and legal Professional Body supervisors during the reporting periods. These include inadequate documented policies and procedures and inadequate resource allocated to AML compliance. Sanctions Readers’ attention is drawn to some news items which may be of interest on sanctions since our last publication of round up in mid-December 2022. The European Union issued its ninth package of sanctions against Russia on 16 December 2022. It includes the imposition of export controls and restrictions, restrictions in the banking sector, restrictions in the broadcasting sector, restrictions in consulting services, energy and mining sectors, restrictions on EU nationals holding posts on governing bodies of Russian state owned or controlled legal persons entities or bodies located in Russia. It also added to the individuals and entities the assets of which are frozen. Our sanctions webpage has been updated with some links and information on the ninth package of sanctions. In our last round up we reported on the Central Bank’s update of its sanctions webpage with an infographic and financial sanctions FAQs. CBI has now helpfully provided a direct link to the European Union's guidance on guidance on Best Practices referred to in one of the sanctions FAQs. On December 20th we reported on the UK auditing ban which was announced in September 2022 and brought into legislative force on December 16, 2022. We also updated our news item from July 2022 which gave details of the UK ban on providing accounting services to Russia to take account of the audit ban which is now in place. Other areas of interest Readers are reminded of the coming into force of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2002 from 1 Jan 2023. During 2022 Round up brought readers several news items on the passing of the Act which was signed into law in 2022 and the announcement of commencement of the Act from 1 Jan 2023. By way of reminder the new legislation will substantially amend the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, expanding the categories of protected person to include protections for volunteers, shareholders, board members and job applicants for the first time. It also expands the wrongs in respect of which a protected disclosure can be made and imposes requirements on organisations to put internal whistleblowing procedures in place. It also provides for a new Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner. Access to the Central Bank of Ireland’s (CBI) Beneficial Ownership Register for Certain Finance Vehicles by members of the public has been suspended following a recent judgment by the European Court of Justice in the Luxembourg business registers case. The CBI has updated its guidance and this third version relates to Chapters 3 and 4 regarding access to the register by members of the public. The Charity Commission (England and Wales) has published an updated set of questions as it launches its new Annual Return in response to charity sector and public feedback. The Irish Pensions Authority has in recent weeks published information on the annual compliance statement (ACS) for 2022 that is provided for under the Pensions Act, 1990 as amended .The 2022 ACS must be prepared no later than 31 January 2023. The Authority will carry out sample checks and audits of trustee compliance with the obligation. The annual compliance statement form to be used can be found on the Authority’s webpage at the above link. On 16 December 2022 the Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment transposed the EU Directive 2019/1152 on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions by the European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022. Click here for the news item from DETE on the introduction of the regulations which for example introduce a limit to the length of probationary periods at the beginning of a job and anti-abuse legislation for zero-hour contract work. Readers are reminded of the round up article in October 2021 where we reported on the Directive including a DETE public consultation on the Directive. For further technical information and updates please visit the Technical Hub.

In case readers missed our news item in our weekly Round Up last week ,we reported that the Irish Central Bank (CBI ) has  updated its sanctions webpage with an infographic and financial sanctions FAQs . We were locating a link for readers to EU guidance on ownership and control referenced in the FAQs. This is now linked below. The CBI FAQs includes a question on whether sanctions only apply to those on the sanctions lists? In the answer CBI says that where you identify that a sanctioned individual or entity owns or controls the individual/entity with whom you are transacting, you should fully assess the impact of this ownership or control. When conducting this assessment, you should refer to the EU Commission’s guidance on ownership and control. This guidance on ownership/control can be found in EU Best Practices which was updated in 2022. This information is provided as resources and information only and nothing in these pages 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 pages. 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 these pages, 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 in these pages. Chartered Accountants Ireland can accept no responsibility for the content on any site that is linked to/from the Institute website. Links are provided in good faith for the potential support of members and students.  

Michael Shovelin is a lecturer, Council member and immediate past chair of the North West Society. He is also an avid reader, so who better to ask for book recommendations!   With Christmas fast approaching you might be looking for a gift for a colleague, client or friend. Here is a list of some of the better books on business matters from the past year. Or you might want to treat yourself. This is the ideal time of year to kick back with a good book! Here aresix recommendations from this year. Enjoy! Chums: How a Tiny Caste of Oxford Tories Took Over Britain – Simon Kuper Born in medieval houses, educated in medieval schools and universities, it comes as no surprise that Gove, Rees-Mogg, Johnson, Truss et al should forge careers in a medieval parliament. All products of the now notorious Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) degree at Oxford, they struggled to conjure up a cause that would create legacies akin to Churchill and Thatcher. With no great causes left (inequality, poverty and crumbling infrastructure not being glamourous enough) they summoned the ghost of Thatcher. They hit on Brexit. Simon Kuper delivers an incisive account on what makes these guys, and it is almost all guys, tick. A must-read for the Brexit-watcher in your house. Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through: The Surprising Story of the British Economy – Duncan Weldon With the new season of Brexit well underway, we have some new characters: dishy Rishi; the prim vicar Jeremy Hunt; and a cameo from the Bree Larson of British politics, Liz Truss. In some 250 pages, you get the equivalent of the Oxford degree in PPE delivered in a clear, concise and engaging manner. This is much more than a political economy primer. The book traces the evolution of Britain’s politics and economy since the Industrial Revolution. It charts the booms and busts and the relentless decline of Great Britain after the war. The post-war years and the transformation of the economy (and politics) during the Thatcher years are particularly well discussed. The Man Who Broke Capitalism – David Gelles ‘Neutron’ Jack Welch hated the nickname. Neutron bombs killed thousands of people while leaving physical infrastructure intact. This engrossing book traces Welch’s journey to the top job at GE and the two decades of meteoric growth in earnings and market capitalisation. From $15bn to $660bn market capitalisation. This was an extraordinary story for a company that had been in existence for almost a century, before he took the reins. The methods are all detailed here. A relentless focus on cost-cutting, offshoring, outsourcing, mega deals, mass firings, earnings manipulation and creative accounting. Hundreds of thousands of jobs destroyed, communities gutted, a toxic culture of ‘rank and yank’ and the hollowing out of once-great American icons. What is most compelling is the creation of a clone army of mini-Jacks who learnt at the knees of the great guru and wreaked havoc across the world. When McKinsey Comes to Town – Walt Bogdanich & Michael Forsythe This is an epic tale of hubris, arrogance, deceit and destruction. Once again, we meet the so-called ‘smartest guys in the room’ with all the answers for everything from regulating healthcare, implementing Trump’s immigration policies, defence contracting to advising foreign governments. They trumpet their mission, values, purpose and ethics. The reality is much different. This is a shocking indictment of yet another so-called ‘professional services firm’. While the concept of conflicts of interest should be easily understood, particularly to those with degrees from the finest Ivy League universities, it is clear that McKinsey operates on both sides of a deal. The Chinese walls are thinner than a Celtic tiger era apartment. Their role in advising big pharma as to how better to market opioids is just one of a litany of standout scandals. And the fees charged are eye watering. Butler to the World: How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals – Oliver Bullough Following on from his best-selling Moneyland, Bullough delves deep into the murky and shady world of those who enable, collaborate, lobby and ease the entry of some of the world’s least savoury characters into polite society. Whatever remained of Britain’s shabby and threadbare post-colonial reputation is completely shredded here. Everything’s for sale in the scramble to legitimise the images of some of the most malevolent crooks in the world today. While the usual culprits from the world of law, accounting, estate agents and wealth advisers are here, Bullough identifies many others who are complicit. From art gallery owners to principal’s of select private schools, ‘all the devils are here’. Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of General Electric – William D Cohan Cohan’s epic Money & Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World is still the definitive template for how to write a company biography. This will surely replace it. This 816-page epic reads like a fast-paced thriller. For all of the 20th century, no other company was so emblematic of American corporate success as GE, (okay, possibly Ford or IBM). Founded by Thomas Edison, GE expanded its operations modestly from the late nineteenth century. However, the arrival of Jack Welch as CEO in 1980 turbocharged the company’s growth and expansion like one of its famed jet engines. It’s all here, the hubris, arrogance and toxic culture that grew out of Welch’s tenure. The cracks had started appearing well before Immelt’s reign. Its demise is a tragic tale. Michael Shovelin is a Lecturer in Atlantic Technological University and Council member.

Readers may be aware that the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 17) Regulations 2022 (the No. 17 Regulations ) were recently passed in the UK bringing into effect further prohibitions  from 16 December 2022 including a ban on auditing services which was announced in September 2022. “Auditing services “is defined and means services consisting of examination of the accounting records and other supporting evidence of an organisation for the purpose of expressing an opinion as to (a) whether financial statements of the organisation present fairly its position as at a given date, and (b) the results of its operations for the period ending on that date, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Readers should note that the No. 17 Regulations bring further changes into effect including a prohibition on the provision of trust services and they also contain certain exemptions from the prohibitions contained in the No.17 Regulations (see section 60DA(3) in relation to auditing services) . This information is provided as resources and information only and nothing in these pages 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 pages. 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 these pages, 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 in these pages. Chartered Accountants Ireland can accept no responsibility for the content on any site that is linked to/from the Institute website. Links are provided in good faith for the potential support of members and students.