Thought Leadership articles

AI is reshaping the workforce, blending human creativity with technology. Tim Bergin explores how organisations can leverage generative AI to unlock potential and drive transformation Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) may be perceived as a risk to human employment, but it can also be viewed as a catalyst for redefining the contribution of individuals in the professional environment. Increased access to Gen AI is allowing workers to fill capability gaps in creativity, team dynamics and content generation with a new technology-driven assistant. The challenge now lies in encouraging our organisations to embrace the advantages while unlocking the potential for workforce workplace restructuring. Unlocking human potential Gen AI provides the ability to rethink how work is organised at operating model, functional level an team level. How can employers unlock the full potential of their workforce at these levels? Team AI is a proven catalyst for better communication, how we interact with colleagues and customers, and how we collaborate and get work done. For example, virtual and augmented reality allow real-time collaboration with people across the globe, facilitating richer conversations, skill sharing and exposure to other areas of the organisation. According to the EY Workforce Reimaged 2023 survey, there is a 33 percent net positive sentiment of employers and employees who believe Gen AI will boost productivity and new ways of working, and an even greater 44 percent net positive of those who expect the technology to enable greater flexible working. Aside from additional capacity, AI systems can provide insights into team performance, sentiment and connection by tracking and analysing data. This could give employers insight into how their team is feeling through survey feedback. This can help promote a more productive, collaborative environment, enabling employers to proactively address employee issues. Organisation The adoption of AI at an organisational level can revolutionise current ways of working from front-line customer-facing functions, to operations and corporate functions such as finance and HR. The transformative impact can be seen on all fronts, demonstrating the potential to improve not only efficiency and effectiveness but also employee experience. For example, using Gen AI to predict consumer needs can help organisations refine their stock systems and supply chain to ensure products are ready at the point of need, rather than stockpiling and incurring unnecessary storage costs. This use case can also free up time for consumer-facing staff to have more considered conversations with their customers about potential future purchasing needs, and demonstrates the rounded positive impact we can expect to see if Gen AI is used responsibly, and thoughtful consideration is given to the workforce impact and opportunity. It is clear from a team and organisational perspective that AI’s role is pivotal in the evolution of the workforce and the increasing requirement for upskilling and reskilling. Success lies in the coming together of emerging technologies and vital human interventions; releasing the power of technology while emphasising the importance of what makes work human. Collaborative partnership While AI's rapid proliferation might trigger fear of unprecedented changes in the working environment, organisations must remember that by embracing AI and investing in the upskilling of their workforce, they are fostering a collaborative partnership between human creativity and artificial intelligence. Tim Bergin is Partner of People Consulting at EY 

Older professionals have much to offer in today’s multigenerational workplace, but many continue to experience the ill effects of negative attitudes and bias As Honorary Treasurer and Interim Chair of Age Action Ireland, Colm Nagle, FCA, continues to apply the experience honed over the course of a 45-year career begun in 1979 when he joined Stokes Kennedy Crowley as a trainee. The longest-serving director of Age Action Ireland, the national advocacy organisation for older people and ageing in Ireland, Nagle is proud of his ongoing contribution to its work, in particular its annual Positive Ageing Week. Kicking off this year on 30 September and continuing through the first week of October, Positive Ageing Week (PAW) celebrates the contributions of older people and promotes their agency. As the dust settles on another successful PAW, which this year featured over 500 events around the country, Nagle is turning his attention to other priorities on the agenda of Age Action Ireland, which has published two annual State of Ageing reports since 2022, highlighting the reality of growing older in Ireland. “Age discrimination is often under-represented in discussions of diversity, equity and inclusion, and, in the workplace, ‘age’ is often left out of company’s DE&I policies and initiatives,” Nagle says. “So far in our culture, we just have not had the same conversations and awareness-raising around ageism that we have had around other forms of discrimination. People haven’t learned to stop and think about ageing or question implicit beliefs they might have internalised.”  The World Health Organisation’s Global Report on Ageism, published in 2021, found ageism to be a prevalent and serious form of discrimination.  “The report demonstrated that we come to accept ageist beliefs from as young as four years old, and that these beliefs – about ourselves and others – can have seriously negative consequences, including worse health outcomes,” Nagle says.  There is, he adds, evidence suggesting that ageism is especially sharply felt in the labour field.  “Age Action’s ‘Are We Ageist’ poll found that unemployed persons were most likely to report recently experiencing age discrimination,” Nagle says. “Ageism is also known to interact with and compound other forms of discrimination like misogyny, classism or ableism, and so, to effectively eliminate these kinds of discrimination, we must also be aware of what ageism is and how it works.” A priority for Age Action is to involve everyone in our society in the project of reframing ageing and changing how we think, act, and feel about older persons.  Rethinking mandatory retirement age Many people now are living more active lives well into retirement age and want to defer full retirement for as long as possible.  “Fundamental to all of us continuing to have choice and control over our employment as we age is the existence of mandatory retirement clauses in contracts,” Nagle says. “Currently, our Equality Acts make an explicit exemption that allows for this kind of age discrimination, so that people can be forced to leave their jobs for no other reason than that they have reached a certain age. This is based on harmful stereotypes of older persons, that deny their skills and capacity.” Mandatory retirement implies that in older age, we are all the same, Nagle says. “It is deeply concerning that through our laws, the State is currently legitimising these kinds of ageist beliefs. It forces older persons out of workplaces and thus contributes to social exclusion,” he says.  “At Age Action, we have spoken to people who, 10 or 20 years on, are still angry and hurt by having been forced to retire. “We have long campaigned for the abolition of mandatory retirement and, in April, we made our case before the Oireachtas Committee on Employment, which subsequently recommended it be abolished. “It has already been outlawed in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US, in some cases for decades, and their labour markets are still functional and productive.” Negative bias and discrimination Well before retirement age, professionals can feel the negative effects of unhelpful biases as they mature through their careers. Seventy-five percent of respondents in the most recent Workplace Equality Study published by Matrix Recruitment identified ageism as an issue in today’s workplace. More than two-thirds, meanwhile, said workers over the age of 50 have fewer promotional opportunities then their younger colleagues, up 19 percent points on the previous year’s findings.   Commenting on the findings, Kieran McKeown, Managing Director of Matrix Recruitment, said they were “hugely disappointing.” “There is a widespread view that professionals aged over 50 have fewer promotional opportunities than their younger colleagues, but the reality is actually quite the opposite,” McKeown says.   “On a more positive note, the majority of respondents surveyed (89%) agreed that people over the age of 50 have as much to contribute to the workplace as those under 40, and this is an opinion we, at Matrix Recruitment agree with, given the calibre of the candidates we speak to on a daily basis in this age group.”  Despite this, McKeown believes older and more experienced professionals in the Irish market remain something of an “untapped talent pool.” “It is quite a complex issue but there appears to be an unconscious bias against older candidates and a poor understanding of, or appreciation for, what they can bring to a workplace,” he says.  “There is a view – a misguided one, in my opinion – that if you are older, you are less likely than your younger peers to be considered capable, adaptable or willing to embrace something new. “We are living in a digital age in which transformation is constant. Given that half of our respondents were of the view that more mature candidates may not have ‘21st century’ IT and digitalisation skills, it is likely that employers think the same way.   “In my experience, the over-50s are highly skilled and actively embrace technological change. Together with their years of experience, this is a group whose contribution to the workplace cannot be underestimated.  “Of course, how people in their 50s are perceived varies greatly from person to person but populations are aging, working lives are lengthening and graduates are joining the workforce later – so 50 is young.” The Matrix Recruitment Workplace Equality Study found that mature workers were considered to have better life skills and those aged over 50 were also rated higher when it came to mentoring and guiding colleagues.  “Forty-eight percent of our respondents consider mature employees to be more reliable workers than their younger cohorts, who statistically are more likely to job hop,” McKeown says.  “Employers find that there are lower staff attrition rates with more mature workers who also have strong interpersonal skills and an equally strong work ethic. And of course, they bring to the workplace years of life experience alongside the expertise they have built up in other roles.” The biggest challenges facing older candidates in today’s job market often “come from within,” McKeown says.  “Losing confidence, feeling they are too old to move job or upskill – or simply not knowing how to go about driving change – are all barriers we see among candidates in this age group,” he says.  “I would encourage anyone considering a career or job move to speak to a recruitment expert.  We can help identify any gaps in their skill set or job spec and help them recognise and promote their transferrable skills.  “There are also lots of tools, such as LinkedIn, which can help individuals stay on top of industry trends and grow their network and connections.  “At Matrix Recruitment we have supported and placed dozens of candidates over the age of 50, including those looking for a new job, a different career or re-entering the workforce after many years. My advice is to get off that fence, speak to an expert and go for it!” Liberation from the rat race For Pat Barker, FCA, sitting on the fence has never been an option. A trailblazer for women in the profession, Barker sat her accounting exams in 1973, becoming only the 20th female Chartered Accountant in Ireland. “I didn’t have a master plan, but seemed to rocket from one opportunity to another,” she says now.   “Generally, I was offered chances and I probably said ‘yes’ to too many and found myself active all the time. Luckily, I am fit and healthy and had lots of energy, and I reflect back on a very packed work and non-work life.”  Barker served her articles with Stokes Bros & Pim in Dublin and then relocated to the UK for a time, becoming Partner with an accounting firm in Manchester and working at Manchester University as a Principal Lecturer.  She was appointed Lecturer at Dublin City University in 1980 and progressed to Senior Lecturer, Associate Dean of the Business School and Vice-President, Academic. Today, Barker continues to lecture in business ethics at DCU. “When you get older, you are liberated from the competition of your career trajectory and you must then decide, ‘What am I going to do now? Am I going to take up golf and play bridge and drink Chardonnay in the afternoon?” she says. “I thought about that and decided it wasn’t for me and the joy for me in continuing to lecture and to serve on boards is that I no longer feel the need to prove myself through my work. “I do not want to lose my capacity – my skills – as a Chartered Accountant. I do not want to stop applying these skills. I want to continue learning about what interests me, and to apply what I learn in the work I do. “That professional decision-making and problem-solving part of me continues to matter enormously to me and, these days, it is enhanced by an ethical overview. Continuing to work when you are older and out of the rat race is a kind of liberation.” Benefits of a multigenerational workforce With an ageing population, longer life expectancy and delayed retirement, workplaces in Ireland are becoming increasingly multigenerational, says Dee France, Wellbeing Lead with Thrive, Chartered Accountants Ireland’s wellbeing hub.  “Fostering a positive age culture is crucial to the Irish workforce and its future, but the importance and value of older employees in their workplace can be seriously overlooked,” France says. “An ageing workforce isn’t a burden; it is an opportunity and there are many business benefits to having a multigenerational workforce.  “With age comes a wealth of experience and with skill and labour shortages reported, employers should not overlook older employees but focus instead on actively retaining and retraining them to address growing talent shortages.” As France sees it, older workers bring an abundance of knowledge, experience and skills that can be invaluable to employers.  “Longer periods in the working environment allow employees to acquire and cultivate significant soft skills that are often so important and beneficial to both the company and younger employees – interpersonal and communication skills, for example, problem-solving and critical thinking along with other leadership qualities and abilities,” she says. Supporting and advocating for age-inclusivity By supporting and advocating for an age-inclusive environment, employers can retain these important qualities in teams, ensure knowledge transfer and provide meaningful and symbiotic mentorship opportunities.  “Failure to address the needs of an ageing workforce is a common issue when employers look to implement supportive work practices,” France says. “In this digital era, there can be preconceived notions and age-related assumptions surrounding older workers, such as their ability to embrace digital transformation, reluctance to adopt new processes and ways of working, or difficulty shifting to changes in company culture. “Many employers can also overlook the importance of providing flexible working arrangements for older employees, making it easier for them to remain in the workforce.”  It is crucial to implement policies that allow accommodations for an ageing workforce for part-time work, job-sharing or remote working, France says. “I would also advise considering phased retirement plans that allow employees to reduce their working hours gradually while maintaining a connection to the workforce.  “This approach can improve retention and reduce stress, allowing employees to continue contributing to the business for longer.” Supporting older workers: advice for employers  Embracing age inclusivity is not just a social matter, it is a business matter too, writes Dee France.  As Ireland’s demographics evolve, businesses must adapt and embrace the potential an age-diverse workforce can unlock. Creating a culture of belonging to foster equitable, inclusive and thriving workplaces that value diversity, including age diversity, is key to supporting a growing workforce.  Employers should actively promote age-friendly policies, avoid reinforcing stereotypes and encourage intergenerational collaboration by fostering mentorship programs that allow employees to share their generational knowledge, creating a mutually beneficial learning environment. Employers should also develop and prioritise well-being initiatives that support an ageing workforce.  Offering health insurance benefits, wellness programs and access to resources like mental health support or fitness programs can significantly improve employees’ quality of life.  Additional tailoring of benefits such as regular health check-ins and adjusting job demands to accommodate any limitations an individual may have, can help ensure that employees can continue working comfortably. Supporting the well-being of older workers through tailored policies on health, flexibility and career development can help them stay engaged and productive, ultimately benefiting the wider organisation.  Positive ageing initiatives can also help reduce turnover, increase job satisfaction and enhance loyalty within the organisation. Positive ageing in the Irish workforce is not just a trend but a critical component of building a resilient, productive and inclusive workplace.  Employers must recognise the value of older employees and take proactive steps to support them.  By addressing common pitfalls and adopting best practices, employers can create a work environment in which workers aged over 55 feel valued, supported and empowered to continue contributing to the success of the organisation. Dee France is Wellbeing Lead with Thrive, Chartered Accountants Ireland’s dedicated wellbeing hub  

Carmel Moore, FCA, Director at the One Moment Company, has seen the number of women in senior positions rise throughout her career, but, she says, true equality has yet to be reached From my convent school days to becoming a Chartered Accountant, an in-house Tax Director, a Big Four Tax Partner, and now running my own business, my career has been far from linear.  I never followed a grand plan or five-year roadmap – just trusted my gut, took risks and made mistakes along the way. My original aspirations were creative, but the harsh reality of Ireland’s job market steered me towards the accountancy profession.  As a law graduate, I started my career with KPMG. On the first day of my training contract, despite the new suit, the shoulder pads and the briefcase, the bus conductor still charged me the children’s fare.  This early career path laid the groundwork for an unexpected, yet deeply fulfilling, professional journey.  I moved to London (for romantic reasons) in the late 1980s. My heart was broken while I was there, but my career flourished. I spent 13 happy years on the in-house tax team at Barclays.  My next chapter took me to Pfizer, as Senior Director of the European Tax Centre. That role, filled with challenge and variety, alongside a hugely talented team, sparked my interest in coaching and leadership development. I became a Partner at EY in London, specialising in tax transformation, honing my expertise in change management and leadership development for deep technical experts, focusing on balancing subject matter expertise with soft skills, communication and handling ambiguity. Since 2017, I’ve been on a different path, co-founding the One Moment Company with my wise and wonderful business partner, Marty Boroson.  An unlikely combination of a zen priest and a Chartered Accountant, we are a specialist consulting and leadership business that is 100 percent focused on time, with a radical approach that is very different from traditional time management.  I believe that women have been taught to think about time differently to men. Growing up, I learned that time was a resource to be used for the benefit of others.  The women around me put their own needs last. It’s still a deep-seated belief that underpins the busy lives of the women I coach, and it holds them back.  I’ve always had an academic side hustle. I like to say it’s a love of learning, but it’s really a love of pens and stationery!  I have a master’s degree in English literature from King’s College London and I am a Master Practitioner in Neuro-linguistic Programming.  I’ve studied organisational development. I’ve done an Advanced Diploma in Personal, Leadership and Executive Coaching at Kingstown College. And now, my son has just signed me up for a refresher course in Irish. Every day really is a school day. Gender equity in the accounting profession I’ve witnessed significant progress in gender equity over the years, but it is never enough. I’ve been the only woman on a team several times (including at the gym this morning). I didn’t work for a woman until 2006.  I’ve experienced everything from clumsy flirtation, to pay disparity, to being overlooked for an overseas promotion opportunity (“But you have a baby! We didn’t think you would want to go!”) to being formally reprimanded for my more eccentric fashion choices.  I’ve run the gamut of the many indignities a woman can experience in the workplace.  My way of dealing with things early on was to be very, very professional – aka terrifying. One particularly mortifying round of 360 feedback revealed that is exactly how people experienced me: scary.  Even my handbag received an honourable mention in the feedback: “She wields her handbag like a battle shield.”   Being this way was exhausting. I would come home wrung out every evening, remove the suit of armour and collapse with a Chardonnay. A coaching course taught me that flexibility, softness and openness are part of leadership.  I haven’t always been vocal and visible when it comes to women in the workplace. As I became busier with family and with work, I relaxed my vigilance. I had this vague idea that things were better, weren’t they? I was so wrong.  A chance hosting of a young female leader’s event revealed that, despite advancements, women were still not feeling there had been any change.  They had the same questions that had troubled me all those years ago: imposter syndrome, not speaking up in meetings, not advocating for oneself, work-life balance issues, fear of failure, networking difficulties and lack of mentorship.  I resolved to do better and use my coaching and leadership development skills to support others. It has been a joy.  Today, more women are stepping into influential leadership positions in finance with grace and strength, though the journey is far from complete.  I would love to see a continued push towards not just increasing the number of women in leadership, but also ensuring their voices are heard and valued equally and integrated into commercial decision-making processes. Navigating career advancement and mentoring My career has been one of many organic steps. It has evolved through recognising opportunities as they have arisen.  I will give anything a go – I am open to new experiences. That, and retaining an Irish sense of humour. It’s defused many a tense steering committee! Mentoring and networking relationships are crucial for women as they progress in their careers. Everyone needs to take all the help they can.  There are potential mentors everywhere. Make a list of people you admire in your company, ex-colleagues, or someone interesting you met at a conference. Ask for advice. Good people love to help.  My own experiences with mentoring have been enriching; particularly the dynamic exchange in my reverse mentoring relationships. I would recommend it.  The quest for work-life balance Achieving work-life balance has been tough, especially in high-demand roles.  A major spine operation in 2014 forced me to reevaluate my priorities and slow down, reminding me that self-care isn’t optional.  I learned the hard way. The key is setting boundaries and being intentional about how you allocate your time.  If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be to trust your instincts.  The times when I ignored or overrode my gut feelings didn’t end well. Trusting your intuition in decision-making is crucial, as it aligns with your core values and aspirations.  The future of gender equality I joined a group of women leaders at the Institute recently to meet with the Minister for Finance, Jack Chambers. We discussed the unique challenges faced by women in their career journeys and how these barriers can be more effectively addressed by policymakers.  But the discussion went deeper. There was a profound exchange on how society needs to change for the better, to create and foster truly inclusive workplaces.  Women shouldn’t have to contort their lives to fit in. The Institute is committed to taking this agenda forward and we’ve been shaping what a dedicated women’s programme could offer. I would advocate for more courageous workplace conversations in real-time, rather than relying solely on policies and events.  It is important to address inequities as they occur and foster a more immediate and impactful learning environment for everyone. But women need the skills and confidence to host these conversations. This is where coaching and mentoring play their part. Reflecting on my journey, I find that each step and misstep along the way has contributed to a broader understanding of work and life.  Despite the miles travelled, I still feel as though I am just starting, eager to learn and contribute.

The world of academia is crying out for accountants who can teach valuable skills to students based on real-world experience, writes Dr. Neil Dunne, FCA Universities need accountants to teach accounting. This seemingly obvious fact is sometimes overlooked in third-level institutions, however, where academic credentials such as a PhD outrank professional accounting qualifications.  Consequently, universities may assign non-accountants to teach technical accounting courses, a situation hard to imagine in other professional fields – law or medicine, for example.  Professionally experienced personnel truly bring a subject alive. Without them in our lecture theatres, we forsake education rooted in the ‘real world’ of professional accounting, and thus risk deterring students from an accounting career. Academia needs qualified accountants, but we also need them to join academia in an informed manner. Here are four points to consider if you are thinking of making this move. Heed the signs There may be indicators that academia is for you. For me, my parents were both teachers, and I was always comfortable in explaining things to others when working as an accountant. Additionally, I enjoyed accounting at school, at university and during my ACA training. Speak up Don’t let a fear of public speaking hold you back. Although my own natural disposition is far from extroversion, I teach (which is a role I am passionate about) to students (whose progress I care about) in an ‘extroverted’ manner. When you are involved in something you care about, you can transcend quietness, shyness or introversion. Research is king To work at most colleges, you will need to have commenced a PhD at the very least. A PhD needs a supervisor. So where to begin? My approach was to attend the annual conference of the Irish Accounting and Finance Association (IAFA). I knew nobody there my first time, but everyone was welcoming. There, I found an especially interesting seminar, which led me to my own PhD supervisor, Professor Niamh Brennan at University College Dublin.  Mind the gap There is usually an initial income fall associated with moving from a professional role to academia, but with time and progress this gap can be bridged. What newcomers may not anticipate, however, is a parallel status change. Moving to academia means we ‘start again,’ in a sense, at the foothills of a whole new mountain. For me, this was a short-term price worth paying for the autonomy, flexibility and meaning associated with an academic role. I would advise any Chartered Accountants curious about academia to investigate more. Reach out to the IAFA, a professor whose classes you may have enjoyed, or to others that have completed PhDs. I ‘made the leap’ myself 17 years ago and have never regretted it.    Dr. Neil Dunne, FCA, is Programme Director and Assistant Professor in Accounting  at Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin

IDA Chair Feargal O’Rourke, FCA, talks to Accountancy Ireland about the inward investment agency’s plans and priorities at a “critical juncture” in Ireland’s FDI journey Feargal O’Rourke, FCA, assumed the role of Chair of IDA Ireland in January 2024 at a significant time for the inward investment agency, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year – and, he says, a “critical juncture” in Ireland’s foreign direct investment (FDI) journey. O’Rourke joined the board of IDA Ireland after stepping down as Managing Partner of PwC Ireland in October 2023 following a storied 37-year career with the firm. In his new role, working alongside IDA Ireland Chief Executive Michael Lohan, time is, he says, “of the essence.” “The one thing I am always paranoid about is complacency, and I think you really do need to have a paranoia about that,” O’Rourke tells Accountancy Ireland.  “Right now, I think Ireland has ‘amber lights’ on infrastructure and we need to put the foot down. We need to invest in more housing. We need to invest in the grid. We need to invest in offshore energy.  “My biggest concern is speed. There are plans in place, but I constantly ask myself, ‘Are we moving fast enough? Can we move faster?’ “I think there is a broad consensus emerging that infrastructure is moving up our list of priorities.  “I take the view that capital spend on infrastructure is an investment. It is not an outflow of money. Deferring a project is a cost. It is not a saving because we will have to do it at some point, and it may cost more then.” New five-year strategy The single biggest task for IDA Ireland as an organisation currently is finalising a new five-year strategy, which will run from 2025 to 2029, O’Rourke says.  “We are doing this against the backdrop of significant geopolitical uncertainty. There is a more muted pace of growth in the global economy and more active industrial policy from some competitor nations,” he says. “There is also the challenge of climate change and the opportunity of the green transition, companies globally grappling with the next step on their diverse digitalisation journeys and, of course, the revolution that is taking place in artificial intelligence.” Ireland’s ability to continue competing in this fast-changing world will be dependent on having the right set of enabling conditions in place”, O’Rourke says.  “As we face challenges in terms of our national competitiveness relating to energy costs and renewable energy provision, housing, infrastructure and utilities, countries around the world are vying to win the race for the next generation of FDI growth. “The opportunity cost of not addressing these issues in a timely manner – particularly sustainable energy supply – risks being sizeable,” he warns. Storied career in practice A native of Athlone, O’Rourke studied commerce and accounting at University College Dublin and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC in 1989. He is also an Associate of the Irish Tax Institute and current Chair of the Institute of International and European Affairs, the Irish-based international think tank. “My father left school at 16, so he always placed a big emphasis on education and business,” O’Rourke says. “He thought I should qualify as a Chartered Accountant and the ‘Chartered’ bit was very important to him, because he felt it had a cachet. That was back in the eighties, and I think the qualification still holds a distinction today. “I remember sitting my final accounting exams thinking, ‘I wonder what this bit of paper will do for my life?’ “There is no doubt that having the Chartered Accountant qualification contributed so much to me living out my professional dreams in the years that followed. The status it brought with it is hugely important and I think the standing of the qualification is as strong today as it was when I qualified.” O’Rourke joined PwC in Dublin in 1986 and remained with the firm for 37 years, holding the position of Managing Partner for the last eight. “I joined what was then Price Waterhouse on 8 October 1986, with the intention of qualifying as a Chartered Accountant and then returning home to Athlone,” he recalls. “Thirty-seven years later – to the day – I retired from PwC having had a wonderfully fulfilling career that was beyond any expectations I had when I joined.” His experience with the firm instilled in O’Rourke the importance of strategic planning for long term success – and it is a lesson he has brought with him to IDA Ireland. “You can’t just think about an organisation as it exists today, and the current generation. You must ask yourself, ‘when I’m 20 and 30 years gone, will I have seeded the fields to ensure it continues to succeed long into the future?’” With Central Statistics Office figures released earlier this year predicting Ireland’s population could grow to over seven million by 2057, O’Rourke’s vision for IDA Ireland is equally long term. “In my role with IDA Ireland today, I am thinking ahead to 25 or 30 years from now and asking, ‘what will Ireland look like then?’ “We have got to play our part in advising the system today if we want to have the right industrial base in the years ahead, not just to continue to attract FDI but also to support indigenous businesses and wider society at a time of ongoing population growth. “I feel a responsibility, as do many others in the system, to say, ‘okay, how does this organisation contribute to ensuring that we will have a successful society in which there are plenty of jobs for people? Do we have the infrastructure we need – both societal and industrial – whether that be in terms of housing, energy supply, water or transport?’  “These are as much societal issues as they are business issues and IDA Ireland will play its part. Building capacity is crucial. Ireland is facing infrastructural capacity issues, and they are a priority for IDA Ireland, particularly over the next five to six years.” FDI and global tax developments Having been appointed as a Tax Partner in 1996 and Head of PwC’s Tax Practice in 2011, O’Rourke spent a significant portion of his career working in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).  “I worked extensively – but not exclusively – with household names from the West Coast of the US. I was privileged to work with many of the companies that now rank among the largest FDI employers in the country,” he says. “I still have the memo in which my then Partner Tadhg O’Donoghue said, ‘I’m going to ask you to focus on a particular area of tax – FDI.’ That one line in a memo almost 40 years ago completely determined my career and my life thereafter.” O’Rourke saw the evolution of Ireland’s FDI landscape firsthand over that span of time. “Tax became central to Ireland’s FDI proposition, delivering a major competitive advantage for us back in the eighties and nineties. It has really played a central role in how Ireland has positioned itself to attract FDI,” he says. As Head of PwC’s Tax Practice, O’Rourke also collaborated extensively with companies, officials, governmental bodies and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on the Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) initiative introduced in 2013 to curb tax avoidance among multinationals operating across different jurisdictions. “Successive Irish Governments over the past 15 years have really got it right on our FDI-related tax policy and we are now seeing the benefits of this in terms of our corporate tax take,” he says.  “That contribution to the State coffers is being used to build hospitals and schools, but other countries in the post-BEPS era are moving fast on their own FDI-friendly tax strategies, and I think we need to move quickly as well and make sure we continue to be agile and responsive, looking around the world and asking, ‘what lessons can we learn here from what others are doing?’” “A world-class organisation” Just over 10 months into his role with IDA Ireland, O’Rourke’s pride in the organisation is palpable. “In sporting terms, IDA Ireland is like Limerick in hurling or Manchester City in football,” O’Rourke says. “We have a fantastic record of success, but once the season is over, we must do it all again. We can survive a year where we are not top of the pile, but we can’t afford to enter a period where we are living off past glories. “You wouldn’t say to the Limerick hurling team, ‘you need to ease off the training for a few years and let everyone else catch up,’ nor would you say to Manchester City, ‘you shouldn’t buy any good players for now.’ “I don’t think IDA Ireland as an organisation should ever say, ‘we are doing really well, we could pull back a bit’. Life doesn’t work like that. Michael Lohan, our Chief Executive, often says, ‘when you turn off the tap, there is no guarantee that, when you turn it back on again, water will come out.’” As it stands, O’Rourke sees IDA Ireland as a “world-class organisation.” “This is not just my own view,” he says. “Over the course of my 37 years in professional services, I was repeatedly told this by clients who had experience of being ‘courted’ by a variety of inward investment agencies from around the world. “Today, our IDA Ireland clients tell me time and again, ‘we feel welcome in Ireland; we feel supported’.” These IDA Ireland client companies employ 300,583 people directly, accounting for 11 percent of total employment in Ireland currently. They spend a combined €35.8 billion annually on payroll and Irish-sourced goods and services, and €15.5 billion in capital expenditure. In total, 248 investments were approved by IDA Ireland in 2023 and a further 131 in the first six months of this year, with the potential to create some 27,000 jobs. “While I expect the pipeline of projects to continue to be strong as we move through 2024, the challenges we face to stay at the forefront of attractive locations to invest in are significant,” O’Rourke says. “If we stand back, there is no doubt that FDI flows have slowed a bit compared to, say, four or five years ago.  “This is, in part, because we have probably already seen the high watermark in globalisation. In retrospect, I think that occurred somewhere towards the end of the last decade.  “The good news for Ireland is that we are continuing to win FDI projects of substance and the 300,000 FDI direct employment figure is a new plateau for us.  “For many years, the benchmark for direct employment was 200,000. Now, our focus is on keeping that figure above 300,000 as we look to build on the next FDI cycle.” Emerging opportunities As IDA Ireland looks to future FDI growth, its focus will be centred on emerging opportunities in the ongoing green and digital transitions reshaping the global economy, O’Rourke says. “We recognise the need to help the Irish operations of global firms transform to thrive in a world that is changing fast.  “We actively partner with client companies on investments in talent development, digitalisation, research and development, innovation and sustainability, including decarbonisation,” he says. “When I was Managing Partner at PwC and we were at our most profitable and successful, we decided we needed to invest heavily in digitisation.  “It wasn’t just an investment in technology, it was an investment in our culture. Even though there were no clouds on the horizon, we could see that, if we stayed still, we might have another few great years – but, really, we needed to invest in the technology to continue growing beyond that. “Our focus now at IDA Ireland is on helping our clients to invest in the areas they need to focus on to do the same – to prepare to continue succeeding in the future. This means supporting them on investment in digitalisation and sustainability.” Collectively, IDA Ireland client companies spend over €7 billion on in-house research, development and innovation (RD&I) annually.  IDA Ireland approved 25 sustainability projects last year, focused on carbon abatement and building Ireland’s green economy.  New RD&I projects won by the semi-state agency in 2023 came with associated client spend commitments of €1.4 billion.  “With the requisite enabling conditions in place at a national level, aligned to emerging FDI attractiveness factors – such as AI skills and renewable, reliable and affordable energy – I think we will be well-placed to capture new investment opportunities,” O’Rourke says. A particular focus is Ireland’s future capacity to generate renewable energy – specifically, offshore energy. “We have been very vocal about the importance and potential of offshore energy. If Ireland gets its offshore energy strategy right – both fixed and floating – we could be in a surplus energy position in 10 years’ time,” he says. “That could transform our capacity to attract energy-intensive multinationals from various industries, because we would potentially be in a situation where have no constraints in relation to our ability to supply green energy.” O’Rourke is, he says, a born optimist. “When it comes to our strategy at IDA Ireland over the next five years, I do genuinely and fully believe that our best years are ahead of us.”

Fractional executives can bring genuine value to business leaders, offering specialised knowledge and niche experience on a flexible basis, writes Tony Dignam The business landscape has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by advances in technology, economic shifts and evolving work patterns.  One notable trend that has emerged is the rise of the fractional executive. These seasoned professionals offer their expertise to multiple companies on a part-time or “fractional” basis, providing strategic leadership without the commitment of a full-time role.  What is a fractional executive?  A fractional executive is an experienced leader who offer their services to businesses on a flexible basis as and when needed.  They can occupy various roles such as Chief Finance Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and more.  These professionals can bring a wealth of experience and specialised skills to the table, helping companies navigate complex challenges and phases of growth or change.  Benefits of the fractional executive The concept of a fractional executive is not entirely new, but it has gained significant traction in recent years.  Economic uncertainties and the need for cost-effective solutions have driven many businesses to reconsider traditional employment models.  Hiring a full-time executive can mean a substantial overhead, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises that may not have the budget for high salaries and benefits packages.   Fractional executives offer a more affordable alternative, potentially allowing companies to access top-tier talent “on demand”.  The gig economy has revolutionised the way people work, with a particular emphasis on flexibility and project-based engagements.  Fractional executives fit perfectly into this model, offering their expertise for specific projects, limited periods or ongoing for an agreed number of days per week or per month.  This flexibility benefits both the executive, who enjoys diverse work experiences, and the company they work with, which can tap into specialised skills as needed.   Access to specialised expertise  Fractional executives often have broad subject matter expertise and plenty of relevant experience they can bring to the table and fast. Many will have held senior positions in their field and possess a deep understanding of best practices in their industry.  This knowledge can be invaluable for businesses looking to implement strategic initiatives or navigate complex change or growth.  Flexibility and scalability  One of the main advantages of fractional executives is their flexibility. Companies can engage them for specific projects, short-term needs, or on an ongoing fractional basis.  This scalability can give businesses more scope to adjust their executive resources according to their existing needs without long-term commitments.  Cost-effective leadership  Hiring a full-time executive can be a significant financial burden, especially for smaller companies. Fractional executives can offer a cost-effective alternative, potentially providing access to top-tier leadership at a lower cost.  This financial efficiency can be crucial for start-ups and SMEs operating on tight budgets, or for employers for whom long-term senior executive needs are harder to forecast.  Fresh perspectives  Fractional executives often work with multiple companies across different industries. This diverse experience means they can bring fresh and innovative perspectives to the businesses they serve.  Their ability to think outside the box can help companies to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities.  These executives sometimes also bring the benefit of fresh contacts and networks to senior teams, which can add value to scaling businesses. This means that the fractional executives can support and enhance business leadership by offering specialised expertise on a flexible, cost-effective basis.  Tony Dignam, FCA, is Managing Director of The Agile Executive

Advocating for yourself at work is vital, especially if you're a neurodivergent person. Antje Derks explains how to navigate workplace challenges and secure the support you need Advocating for yourself in the workplace can be challenging for anyone, but it can be especially daunting for those who are neurodivergent. Neurodivergence encompasses a range of conditions, including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and other cognitive differences that affect how individuals think, learn and interact with the world. While these differences can bring unique strengths to the workplace, they can also create specific needs and challenges. Understanding how to ask for reasonable accommodations and advocate for yourself is crucial for thriving in your professional environment. Neurodivergent individuals often have distinct ways of processing information, communicating and completing tasks. These differences can be assets, bringing innovative perspectives and problem-solving skills to a team. The traditional workplace environment may not always be conducive to neurodivergent work styles, however, leading to potential misunderstandings and obstacles. Workplace challenges Neurodivergent individuals often face specific challenges in the workplace. Sensory sensitivities, such as noise, lighting or office layouts, can overwhelm a neurodivergent brain, leading to overstimulation. Organisational and time management difficulties can also arise, as can challenges with social interactions and communication. Many neurodivergent colleagues appreciate clear, explicit instructions and feedback. The more precise and direct the language, the better. While this approach works well for many, it's important to remember that neurodivergence varies greatly from person to person. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Self-advocacy Self-advocacy involves understanding your own needs and communicating them effectively to others. For neurodivergent individuals, self-advocacy is essential for creating a work environment that supports their success. Here are key steps to advocate for yourself effectively. Familiarise yourself with workplace policies and legal protections related to disabilities In many countries, laws provide the right to reasonable accommodations. Take time to reflect on your specific needs and how certain accommodations can help you perform your job better. This might include flexible work hours, noise-cancelling headphones or written instructions for tasks. Schedule a meeting with your manager or HR representative to discuss your needs. Prepare to explain your neurodivergence in a way that highlights both your strengths and the challenges you face. Remember to use clear and specific language when requesting accommodations. For example, instead of saying, "I need a quieter workspace," you might say, "I need a desk in a quieter area of the office to help me concentrate better." It is important to try and frame your requests in a way that shows you are looking for solutions that benefit both you and the company. Emphasise how the adjustments will help you to be more productive and contribute effectively to the team by suggesting reasonable accommodations that are specific and actionable. For example, "Can I have a standing desk to help me stay focused?" or "Can we have a weekly check-in meeting to ensure I am on track with my projects?" will show your manager that you are actively seeking to take responsibility for yourself rather than shifting all the expectation on to them. Make reasonable adjustments depending on your needs Reasonable adjustments vary depending on individual needs and job requirements. Flexible work arrangements, such as remote work, flexible hours or modified schedules, can help manage sensory overload and align work with peak productivity times. Assistive technology, including speech-to-text software, organisational apps or noise-cancelling headphones, can aid concentration and efficiency. Physical workspace adjustments, like a quieter workspace, a standing desk or specific lighting, can create a more comfortable and productive environment. Structured communication, with clear, written instructions and regular feedback, ensures understanding and proper task execution, while regular check-ins can provide ongoing support and clarification. Additionally, access to a mentor or job coach who understands neurodiversity can offer valuable support and guidance. Monitor the effectiveness of the adjustments Communicate with your manager or HR about how well (or not) the adjustments are working for you. If things need tweaking slightly, don't hesitate to request them. Keep records Keep a record of your communications and any agreements made. This documentation can be helpful if you need to revisit the discussion or if there are any disputes. Promoting an inclusive workplace culture Advocating for yourself is an important step, but fostering a more inclusive workplace culture requires broader efforts from the whole organisation. Employers and colleagues can contribute by promoting awareness and understanding of neurodiversity through training and education, as well as encouraging open dialogue about individual needs and adjustments. But most importantly, it is about helping to create a supportive environment where all employees feel valued and included – whether they’re neurodivergent or not. By advocating for yourself and working towards a more inclusive workplace, you can not only enhance your own job satisfaction and performance but also contribute to a diverse and dynamic work environment where everyone's unique strengths are recognised and valued. Antje Derks is a Marketing Executive with Chartered Accountants Worldwide

The ethical use of AI and how it is governed today and as it continues to evolve in the years ahead is top of mind for many in the profession. Accountancy Ireland asks three Chartered Accountants for their take on the ethics of AI Owen Lewis  Head of AI and Management Consulting KPMG in Ireland It is crucial for all of us in the profession to ensure the integrity and transparency of solutions driven by artificial intelligence (AI).  We must audit and validate AI algorithms to ensure they comply with regulatory standards and ethical guidelines. Monitoring systems for biases and inaccuracies is also crucial to ensuring that financial data and decisions remain fair and reliable. By providing independent oversight, we can help to maintain trust in AI-driven financial processes and outcomes for clients.  Where AI is used to inform large-scale decisions, it should be supplemented with significant governance measures, such as explainability, transparency, human oversight, data quality and model robustness and performance requirements. This technology is continuing to advance rapidly, and we need to be open to both its current and potential capabilities.  By putting the correct governance mechanisms and controls in place – beginning with low-risk test applications and building from there – organisations can adopt AI safely and obtain real benefits from its use. I am working with organisations to help them think through what AI means for them, develop strategies for its adoption, put the necessary governance and controls in place, scale solutions sensibly and ensure business leaders get real value from their investment.  Whatever their goal may be – more efficient operations, accelerated content generation or improved engagement with stakeholders – we help organisations decide if AI can help, and if it can, how to use it in the right way. >Bob Semple Experienced Director Governance and Risk Management Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most misunderstood, yet transformative, technologies impacting the way we work today. Here are 10 essential steps Chartered Accountants should take to navigate the landscape of AI effectively. Take a leadership role – If we don’t take the lead, we risk missing the golden opportunity AI presents. Conduct an AI “stocktake” –According to a recent Microsoft survey, 75 percent of employees are already using AI. Identifying current AI usage within your organisation is essential. Assess the downside risks of AI – Legislative and regulatory requirements are exploding (e.g. NIS 2, the AI Act, DORA and more) and risks abound (AI bias, explainability, privacy, IP, GDPR, cyber security, resilience, misuse, model drift and more). Organisations must act on their AI responsibilities. Conduct a dataset stocktake – Just as the Y2K challenge was about identifying IT systems, today’s challenge is to catalogue all datasets, as these are crucial for AI functionality. Draft appropriate policies and procedures – Establish clear responsibilities and accountability for AI initiatives. Pay special attention to how AI impacts decision-making processes. Strengthen data curation – Implement new processes to improve how data is collected and used. Identify opportunities for the smart use of AI – Brainstorm and prioritise AI use-cases that can drive efficiency and innovation. Provide training – Ensure that board members, management and staff are all adequately trained on AI principles and applications. Manage the realisation of benefits – Safeguard against excessive costs and subpar returns by carefully managing the implementation of AI projects. Update audit and assurance approaches – Seek independent assurance on AI applications and leverage AI to enhance risk, control and audit processes. As we adopt AI, it is critical that we pay particular attention to distorted agency – i.e. giving too much agency to, or relying unduly on, AI outputs and doubting our own agency to make the most important decisions. Exercising professional judgement is the key to minimising the risks associated with AI and realising its benefits, and that surely is the strength of every Chartered Accountant. *Note: GPT4 was used to assist in drafting this article.   Níall Fitzgerald Head of Ethics and Governance Chartered Accountants Ireland Artificial intelligence (AI) is proving to be transformative, impacting competitiveness and how business is done.  Chartered Accountants Ireland has engaged with members working in various finance and C-suite positions, including chief executives, chief financial officers and board members, to understand how AI is impacting their day-to-day work.  One thing is clear. AI is being used in some shape or form in many businesses across the country.  In 2023, the Institute’s response to the UK’s Financial Reporting Council proposals on introducing governance requirements for the use of AI noted several governance mechanisms that are likely to be impacted by AI currently or in the very near future in many organisations.  We highlighted the focus on corporate purpose and how market forces, emerging threats and opportunities driven by AI, may challenge the purpose of an organisation and its long-term objectives.  AI may impact how organisations decide on their strategic focus in terms of how they deliver their product or service and, indeed, how their product or service is designed in the first instance.  It may also impact these organisations’ values as they consider how to deploy and use AI in an ethical manner. The EU AI Act, which enters into force on 1 August 2024 over a phased basis, introduces requirements for the development of codes of conducts, risk and impact assessments and staff training to ensure adequate human oversight around the use of AI systems within organisations. This has specific resonance for Chartered Accountants who are members of a profession bound by a code of ethics governing objectivity, confidentiality, integrity, professional behaviour and competence and due care. Chartered Accountants must now ensure that they understand how AI uses, analyses and then outputs data.  Organisations must ensure that any AI-driven information they share, and how they deploy the technology itself, satisfies principles of integrity, honesty and transparency.  Chartered Accountants are well-positioned, with their ethical mindsets, to ensure the integrity of AI systems, and their use within organisations.

Cormac Lucey explores the misunderstood roots of Ireland’s FDI success and questionable management of surging tax revenues against the backdrop of rising state spending Two important aspects of Ireland’s multinational success story are generally misunderstood.  The first concerns the low-tax strategy that has been the key reason many multinationals have located in Ireland.  As Professor Frank Barry of Trinity College Dublin revealed in his essay “Foreign Investment and the Politics of Export Profits Tax Relief 1956”, this low-tax strategy resulted from then Taoiseach John A. Costello overruling the Department of Finance and forcing an idea promoted by the Department of Industry and Commerce into the Budget.  Underlining the precariousness and capriciousness of life, this strategy didn’t begin to really function until the 1990s.  The second aspect of our multinational story, not generally understood, is how utterly dependent our economy is on American business.  While it is widely known that more than 85 percent of the state’s corporation tax revenues come from multinationals, their contribution to other tax headings is not so well-known.  When you consider multinationals’ 55 percent share of Ireland’s income taxes and 54 percent share of VAT – and apply this lower 54 percent rate to other tax headings – you will see that the multinational sector contributes over 60 percent of the State’s total tax revenues.  How well is the state managing the resulting surge in tax revenues? Well, it’s all being spent, and then some.  According to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council’s Fiscal Assessment Report published in June 2024, “Excluding excess corporation tax receipts, a deficit of €2.7 billion (0.9% GNI) is forecast for this year. This comes despite a strong economy, with record high employment and historically low unemployment. The question arises: if underlying surpluses are not being run now that the economy is strong, when would they be run?” The quality of much of this spending is highly questionable. The epicentre of rampant State spending growth is occurring in healthcare. A recent Department of Health report analysed hospital activity and expenditure between 2016 and 2022.  It reported a 3.8 percent increase in overall activity, compared with an inflation-adjusted rise in expenditure of 45 percent (nominal rise of 68 percent) and a 29 percent increase in staffing numbers. The Department of Health badly needs budgetary incontinence pads. Or maybe members of the Irish public service simply need to learn how to manage.  Consequence-free management is the key obstacle to effective budgetary control. When staff are treated the same regardless of whether they perform extraordinarily well or extraordinarily badly, should we be surprised when mediocrity results?  The Republic’s governing political class is happy to bask in the reflected glory of multinational-induced prosperity. However, according to the 2023 annual report from the IDA, Ireland’s inward investment agency, the global foreign direct investment landscape is becoming “increasingly challenging and complex.”  And, if he becomes the next US President, Donald Trump plans to significantly undermine Ireland’s attractiveness to US multinationals by putting a 10 percent tariff on US imports. Even though it accounts for 69 percent of employment, Ireland’s domestic sector of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is the orphan of this story. SMEs need targeted tax incentives along the lines of those outlined by Deloitte’s Kim Doyle in the Accountancy Ireland newsletter Briefly. The SME sector also needs a systematic programme to reduce the regulatory burden imposed upon it. Under the guidance of Michael Diviney, Chartered Accountants Ireland recently published Reducing Red Tape, a detailed position paper showing just how that could be done.  The instinctive mindset of government – that ministers are in charge of a great national trainset they can play with at will – flies in the face of the reality that policy decisions involve tricky trade-offs not amenable to facile headlines.  Cormac Lucey is an economic commentator and lecturer at Chartered Accountants Ireland *Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column published in the August/September 2024 issue of Accountancy Ireland are the author’s own. The views of contributors to Accountancy Ireland may differ from official Institute policies and do not reflect the views of Chartered Accountants Ireland, its Council, its committees, or the editor.