Insights

The Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB) has released its 2023 “éist” report which details public sentiment towards Irish retail banks. Chief amongst the IBCB’s findings was a rise in public trust towards retail banks.

As a result of Brexit, and particularly following the introduction of the UK’s Financial Services and Markets Act, there is a potential for increasing divergence between EU and UK financial services regulation.

On 30 January, the Central Bank published Guidance for (Re)insurance Undertakings on Intragroup Transactions and Exposures following a consultation that ended in September 2022.

Green House Gas (GHG) emissions are classified into categories of Scope 1, Scope 2 or Scope 3. This is a way of grouping emissions between those created by the company and those created by its wider value chain.

The European Commission (EC) has adopted key initiatives, which aim to reduce compliance costs for large businesses operating across the European Union. The BEFIT proposal introduces a single set of rules to determine the tax base for large businesses that operate out of more than one Member State.

The Defective Concrete Products Levy (“DCPL”) was introduced in Finance Act 2022 and came into force on 1 September 2023.

Throughout 2023, the OECD Inclusive Framework has continued its work on the development of the Pillar Two Global anti-Base Erosion Rules in advance of the introduction of the rules on 31 December 2023.

The recent High Court tracker mortgage decision again brought sharply into focus the onerous nature of potential remediation exercises. Increasing regulatory pressure, ever-changing customer expectations, rising customer vulnerability and a competitive marketplace, deem an increase in remediation requirements for financial services firms highly likely.

The concept of a new suite of standards for the UK and Ireland, aligning with international financial reporting standards, was first conceived in 2002

The introduction of Pillar Two brings unprecedented changes to the international tax landscape, the likes of which haven’t been seen for decades. The rules will create a fundamental shift in the way certain groups are taxed as well as an additional global compliance and reporting obligation for those within scope of the rules.

The world of work is evolving quickly; finance departments are increasingly facing competing priorities; and the roles of finance leaders are expanding rapidly.

According to the latest data from the International Business Report (IBR), Grant Thornton’s global survey of mid-market companies, business leaders are cautious about their future investment intentions.