Maintaining and achieving good health is imperative for our physical and mental wellbeing. However, there are barriers that can get in the way of keeping our body and mind healthy, especially for men. Therefore, it is important to recognise what prevents or deters men from seeking help and support when it comes to their health. Here, the Thrive Wellbeing Hub explores these barriers and shares simple but effective steps to keeping healthy both physically and mentally. Knowledge & Awareness Although men are not a homogenous group, there are similarities when it comes to awareness and knowledge of health issues compared to females. Men are prone to engage in more unhealthy habits compared to females. Females on average have a higher life expectancy, males tend to have higher rates of obesity, a greater proportion of males smoke, and there is higher participation in binge drinking and drug use. Poor lifestyles are responsible for a large proportion of chronic diseases. The four main causes of death among males in Ireland are cancer, circulatory system diseases, respiratory system diseases, and external causes of injury and poisoning. It is suggested that men tend to be less informed about the risk factors, causation and symptoms of poor health and certain diseases. This lack of knowledge and awareness may prevent men from seeking help as they are simply unaware of the symptoms surrounding certain illnesses. Therefore, it is important for us to educate ourselves on the signs and symptoms of poor health. Perception As outlined above, men tend to adopt unhealthier behaviours and are at greater risk for all leading causes of death. However, men are less likely to consult or visit a health professional compared to women and perception is a significant barrier to males engaging in health-seeking behaviours. This is where the severity of a health concern is underestimated or brushed off as nothing serious. Late presentation to health services is a cause for concern and can lead to health issues worsening or becoming untreatable. It's important to take action as soon as you notice something isn't quite right. Stigma Gender roles and the construct of masculinity have been cited as barriers to men looking after their health, especially when it comes to mental health. Perceptions associated with masculinity can result in men being more reluctant to speak out on mental health issues or engage in help-seeking behaviour for fear of being seen as weak or not embodying the traditional and frankly outdated attributes of what is considered masculine. This stigma allows for men’s mental health needs to often fly under the radar. This is evident in the high suicide rates of males in Ireland. In 2023, there were 232 male deaths by suicide, accounting for three out of every four suicide deaths in Ireland (CSO).  Thankfully, this ideology is shifting, and men’s attitudes and awareness of mental health are changing. Being honest and open with yourself about how you are feeling and communicating this to loved ones or a mental health professional is so important. Proactive Steps Men and those who support them have an active role to play in encouraging and supporting men to take small steps to be proactive in both their physical and mental health. Let’s challenge ourselves to take action and incorporate small changes to help improve our overall health: Eat well Exercise and spend time outdoors Reduce alcohol intake Know the signs of poor mental health, suicidal ideations, and other health conditions Schedule a medical, arrange a blood test and engage in screening services and programmes Talk and Listen – Confide in a loved one or someone impartial, ask if everything is okay, listen and help empower the men in our lives to take action If you are struggling with your mental or emotional wellbeing, Thrive can help you on your journey to better health. For wellbeing advice, contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294.

On 20 May 2025 the EU adopted its 17th package of sanctions against Russia. The European Council writes that the package is part of an even broader set of EU measures also targeting Russia’s hybrid activities, domestic violations of human rights and the use of riot control agents by Russian forces in Ukraine, under three other sanctions regimes. The measures agreed cover Russia’s shadow fleet, energy, military, and occupied territories. You can read more details on the 17th Package on the European Council webpage which has links to the various legal acts to bring the 17th package into force.   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.

Congratulations to the newly appointed North West Society Committee for the 2025 / 2026 term. Sorcha Sweeney has been appointed as Chair and Ann Harte as Vice Chair with Marion Prendergast and Gerry Maher taking on the Officer positions as Treasurer and Secretary respectively. Thank you to retiring committee members Pierce Maloney and Sandra Canavan for their commitment this year. To outgoing Chair Maura Ginty, a very sincere thank you from all the committee for your hard work, dedication and fun along the way! Click the link to see the full North West Society committee for 2025 / 2026: NW Committee 25 26

Revenue has published updated guidelines for Phased Payment Arrangements to update details on relevant terms and to remove obsolete details.

The Central Statistics Office has published the Quarterly National Accounts – Provisional for the first quarter of 2025 confirming GDP increased by 9.7 percent on a quarterly basis in the first quarter of this year. Modified Domestic Demand grew by 0.8 per cent relative to the previous quarter and by 1 per cent on an annual basis. The publication outlines an increase of 2.5 percent in consumer spending in the first quarter and a substantial increase in goods exported. Commenting on the figures, Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe said: “Today’s figures confirm the relatively strong position of the domestic economy at the start of this year. Looking ahead, however, the economic outlook has become increasingly challenging. Indeed, the significant increase in uncertainty is likely weighing on growth”

The Parliamentary Budget Office recently published the Tax Receipts Dashboard which presents net tax receipts data in a visual and interactive manner. The dashboard looks at the makeup of the tax base, and analyses tax receipts by tax head, economic sector and by county. The dashboard outlines that the manufacturing sector, which includes the pharmaceutical industry, represented 15.5 percent of total tax receipts in 2024. This represented a fourfold increase since 2011 primarily driven by higher corporation tax yields. The information and communication sector contributed 11.94 percent of receipts, reflecting a seven-fold increase since 2011. In 2024, total net receipts of €44 million arose in Dublin, with Cork reporting total receipts of €26.5 million including receipts arising from the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in the Apple State Aid case. All other counties account for approximately or less than €2 billion each. The publication includes a note with information on how to use and interact with the dashboard.

Revenue has launched a campaign encouraging PAYE taxpayers to complete an end of year tax review through the myAccount service. As part of the review, the service allows taxpayers to claim tax credits and reliefs and details of the more common tax credits and reliefs are available through links in the campaign launch page. Revenue has confirmed it will agree payment options with taxpayers where a tax liability arises, and tax refunds will be paid within a few days of completing the end of year review.

Last week, the US Administration announced an increase on the rate of tariffs on steel imports into the US from 25 percent to 50 percent. Following a meeting between the EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris, the Tánaiste, Simon Harris released a statement welcoming the discussions and highlighting the need for “a substantive, calm, measured and comprehensive dialogue”. The Tánaiste’s full statement can be read below: "I welcome that the EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met in Paris earlier today to advance EU-US negotiations. This is a positive step. Ireland’s consistent position remains that we need substantive, calm, measured and comprehensive dialogue with the United States. "While we want to see an agreement, my department will continue to work actively across Government and with stakeholders to understand the impact of the US tariffs on Irish business, as well as preparing for EU rebalancing measures, if they are required. "The government regrets the increase of US tariffs on steel imports from 25% to 50%, which came into effect today. This latest move by the US adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. "I wish to reiterate our full support for dialogue. The objective remains to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that includes reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers, promoting economic security, as well as facilitating business opportunities and investment. At the same time, it is correct that the EU is doing preparatory work on a range of potential re-balancing measures, should negotiations fail."

Revenue has published guidelines for the Cross Border Operation of the EU VAT SME scheme (VSME). The VSME alleviates the compliance obligations of small businesses by allowing the supply of goods and services to EU customers without incurring an obligation to charge VAT. An Irish established business can avail of the scheme provided the business’ annual turnover within the European Union does not exceed €100,000 in the current and previous years. The small business must also not exceed the annual turnover threshold, in the current and previous calendar years, of the Member State(s) in which they want to utilise the scheme. Participation in the scheme is optional. The scheme allows qualifying small enterprises to avail of the VAT registration thresholds in all Member States where they supply goods and services, thus avoiding the requirement to register for VAT in those Member States. However, there is no right to deduct input VAT incurred on the purchases of goods and services linked to supplies made under the scheme. Additional details are included in our earlier article which you can read here.

The Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have published the Fiscal Monitor for May 2025 confirming an Exchequer surplus of €4.0 billion to the end of May. This compares to a surplus of €0.8 billion recorded for the same period last year. Tax receipts collected to the end of May were €38.2 billion, which was €3.0 billion higher than the same period in 2024. Excluding the once off receipts from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgement in the Apple State Aid case, total receipts amounted to €36.4 billion, an increase of €1.3 billion on the corresponding period in 2024. Income tax receipts for the month of May were €2.8 billion which was €0.1 billion ahead of receipts collected in May 2024. On a year-to-date basis, receipts to the end of May of €14.5 billion were up by €0.6 billion (4.8 per cent), when compared to May 2024. Corporation tax receipts of €2.5 billion were collected last month which was a reduction of €1.1 billion on the same month last year.  As highlighted in the Fiscal Monitor certain exceptional factors which boosted May 2024 receipts are distorting the year-on-year comparison. On a cumulative basis, receipts of €7.4 billion were up by €1.1 billion on the same period last year. When the once-off CJEU receipts are excluded, cumulative corporation tax receipts to May 2025 amounted to €5.7 billion, down on the same period last year by €0.6 billion. VAT receipts collected in the May of €3.5 billion represented an increase of €0.1 billion when compared to the same month last year. Cumulative receipts of €11.4 billion were ahead by 5.5 percent on end of May last year. Commenting on the figures, Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe said: “May is one of the more important months for tax revenues, and the steady growth in most tax headings points to an economy that is in a relatively good position. The most notable feature of the May Exchequer returns was in respect of corporation tax, which saw a marked year-on-year drop. While this reflects once-off factors last year, it nonetheless highlights the degree of concentration in the corporate tax base, wherein a small number of multinational firms can significantly impact on the overall tax yield                                                                         In a context of unprecedented uncertainty in the international economic landscape, this serves as a timely reminder of Ireland’s exposure to changes in the global trading environment, and of the vital importance of adhering to a sensible and sustainable budgetary strategy.”

In this week’s post EU exit corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications relevant in the post EU exit environment. The most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is also available as is the most recently published Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs team. The outcomes from the latest meeting of the HMRC forum, the Northern Ireland Joint Customs Consultative Committee (NI JCCC), which the Institute participates in, are now available to read. And finally, UK steel and aluminium exports have been temporarily spared from the US administration’s decision to double tariffs on these goods.   Latest NI JCCC meeting   The most recent meeting of the NI JCCC has taken place. Minutes from the meeting and the accompanying slides are available to read.  Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications  This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows: Appendix 2 C21i: DE 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes,  Making an entry summary declaration,  Data Element 2/3: Document and Other Reference Codes: Licence Types — Imports and Exports of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS),  Data Element 2/3: Documents and Other Reference Codes (Union) of the Customs Declaration Service,  Safety and security declarations,  Safety and security import requirements: entry summary declarations,  Notices made under The Customs (Export) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019,  Notices made under The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018,  Register to use the Import Control System 2,  Make an entry summary declaration using the Import Control System 2,  Data requirements for express operators who move consumer parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland,  How to send parcels from a business in Great Britain to a private individual or a business in Northern Ireland,  Sending parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland between private individuals,  Create a goods movement reference,  Sending parcels between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, and  External temporary storage facilities codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service. 

In this week’s miscellaneous updates: HMRC has published the company car advisory fuel rates applicable from 1 June 2025,   The latest HMRC Stakeholder Digest is available, and   The Government has announced that the UK and Isle of Man will work together to “explore ways to further enhance information flows” to combat tax avoidance and evasion.