Employers can offer many different share schemes to their employees or directors, often as a way of rewarding employees and encouraging loyalty and participation in a tax efficient manner.
Possible schemes include:
- Free or Discounted Shares
- Restricted share schemes (clog schemes)
- Share option schemes
- Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP)
- Flowering share schemes
- Forfeitable share schemes
- Convertible share schemes
- Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
- Save As You Earn (SAYE) Schemes
- Approved Profit Sharing Schemes
These schemes have varying terms, conditions, and tax treatment. This guide is a brief outline of each of the above schemes and is based on relevant legislation and administrative guidance in force at 1 January 2024.
It does not cover the schemes exhaustively but is intended to answer some of the important and broad ranging questions that may arise. When specific issues occur in practice, it will be necessary to refer to the laws and regulations of Ireland and to obtain appropriate accounting, tax and legal advice.