The Practising Accountants Update 2026
Registering for The Practising Accountants’ Update at CPD Fest 2026 couldn’t be more straightforward. We have three packages for you to choose from – 8 hours, 16 hours and 24 hours of CPD – allowing you to customise the event to your own specific needs. Once purchased, pick ‘n’ mix the topics of most interest and relevance to you from any of the sessions running across the week of CPD Fest 2026.
CPD Fest Packages:
The 12 Gifts Of CPD Fest
Over the coming weeks we are going to give you advance access to hugely valuable extracts from the note packs The CPD Fest & The Essential Advisors’ Mix.
With The 12 Gifts of CPD Fest you will get guides, financial statements, checklists, tools, tax papers, letters of engagement and reports all the way up to and including the kitchen sink!
Registration for The 12 Gifts Of CPD Fest is free, quick and straight forward and you can do so here:
Event Details:
Session 1: Corporate Insolvency Update - December 2026
Time: 09:00 – 10:40
Speaker: Jonathan Foley – Friel Stafford
TBA
Session 2: Examinership & SCARP - December 2026
Time: 11:00 – 12:40
Speaker: Ian Barrett – BDO
Examinership and SCARP are Ireland’s formal corporate rescue processes that continue to be underutilised. Its important for accountants and practitioners to understand the benefits of these processes and how businesses when acting early after identifying financial distress or viability issues, can explore if these processes can save their business. SCARP is only 5 years old and needs to be used more by small and micro companies, at a time when the Revenue Commissioners are being flexible in their approach to negotiating rescue plans.
Ian Barrett will cover the following topics during this webinar:
- Overview of Examinership and SCARP
- Detailed explanation of both processes
- Illustration of a rescue plan
- Impact on creditors
- Opportunity for investors to use the process to acquire distressed businesses
By attending this session you will gain a greater understanding of both processes, whether it will be suitable for your business or clients, and the potential cost and benefits of the processes.
This session will be of particular interest to accounting firms, business owners, investors and company directors.
Course Level: Intermediate
Session 3: HR & Employment Law Update December 2026
Time: 13:40 – 15:20
Speakers: Yvonne Clarke – RBK
Employment law and HR continue to evolve rapidly, with a number of significant legislative developments and emerging workplace issues affecting employers in Ireland during 2026.
This webinar will provide a practical overview of the key HR and Employment Law developments in 2026, focusing on the issues that are currently topical and the changes that employers need to be aware of. We will also look ahead to forthcoming developments and what employers should be preparing for as we move into 2027.
The session will cover a range of important developments, including Employment Permit changes, Gender Pay Gap Reporting and the move towards greater pay transparency, retirement age and longer working, statutory leave developments, collective redundancies and restructuring, protected disclosures, and the growing HR and employment law implications of AI and employee monitoring.
We will consider not only what the legislation says, but also what these developments mean in practice for employers and HR professionals, including key compliance considerations, potential areas of risk and practical steps organisations should be taking now.
The webinar will also highlight what is coming next, including forthcoming legislative and regulatory developments and emerging issues that are likely to shape the Irish employment landscape.
The webinar will cover the key developments affecting employers in Ireland during 2026, including:
- Retirement Age & Longer Working: The new rules and what employers need to consider when managing retirement and requests to work beyond contractual retirement ages.
- Employment Permits: Key changes to the Employment Permit system and what employers need to know.
- Gender Pay Gap Reporting: Current obligations and what employers should be doing with their results.
- Pay Transparency: Preparing for the EU Pay Transparency Directive and the implications for Irish employers.
- Statutory Leave Developments: Key updates to family, sick and other statutory leave entitlements.
- Collective Redundancies & Restructuring: Key employer obligations and common areas of risk.
- Protected Disclosures: Current obligations and managing protected disclosure complaints.
- AI in the Workplace: The impact of the EU AI Act and the growing employment law implications of artificial intelligence.
- Employee Monitoring & the Right to Disconnect: Managing the balance between workplace oversight, employee privacy and working time obligations.
- Independent Contractors v Employees: Employment status, associated risks and recent developments.
By attending this session, you will gain an understanding of the key employment law and HR developments during 2026, together with the practical implications for your organisation.
The session will help employers identify areas where policies, procedures and contracts may need to be reviewed or updated to reflect current legal requirements. Keeping these areas under review can help organisations manage compliance risks and reduce the potential for employment disputes and WRC complaints.
The webinar will also provide an opportunity to consider what is coming next, helping employers to prepare for forthcoming legislative and regulatory developments rather than responding to changes after they take effect.
Course level: Intermediate
Session 4: Self-Coaching in Practice: A Toolkit for Everyday Challenges
Time: 15:40 – 17:20
Speaker: Edel Walsh – Edel Walsh Coaching and Consulting
The session will provide an overview of the updates and changes in Employment Law in 2025 and a review of same along with what is coming down the line in 2026.
It is important for employers to ensure they remain up to date and compliant with the latest updates to employment legislation. Staying informed about changes in employment law helps employers proactively manage risks, refine HR practices, and maintain a fair, compliant, and productive workplace. This not only protects the organisation from potential litigation but also enhances its reputation and fosters better employee relations.
The session will highlight the key employment law developments in the previous year which have impacted employers, including ongoing Gender Pay Gap Reporting, Leave updates, the expanded Employment Permit System, and the rules on Collective Redundancies.
What to look out for in 2026:
- The Pay Transparency Directive: What does it mean for Irish employers?
- Implementation of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act in Ireland
- General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2025.
- The official introduction of Auto Enrolment and key HR considerations
- Organisation of Working Time Act
- Right to Work in Ireland and Work Permits
By attending this session, you will learn about updates to employment legislation. Employers can then ensure they are compliant with the latest regulations, reducing the risk of possible litigation, fines, and penalties
This session will allow employers to refine their practices and policies to align with the latest legal requirements. This can lead to better employee management, reducing turnover and enhancing employee satisfaction.
Attending this webinar will also help employers identify areas where their managers and HR staff may need further training to ensure their organisation maintains high standards of compliance
Course level: Intermediate
CPD Course Facilitators
Maura Dolan - LECI
Maura is a highly accredited Senior Practitioner and Master Coach, Trainer and Facilitator with over 18 years’ experience coaching at C Suite to middle management high potential level. Maura’s clients include Professional firms, State and Semi-State Sector, Multi-national, and indigenous Irish companies, such as HSE, AGS and Revenue, Not-For-Profit, Academic, Financial Institutions, Pharmaceutical, Construction, Retail, Marketing/Branding, FMCG.
Maura’s coaching practice focuses on releasing potential, enhancing leadership skills and developing mental mastery and fitness. Her coaching programs and expertise are complemented by her dedication to achieving sustainable change and performance improvement.
Tom Murray – Friel Stafford
Tom qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) in 1997 whilst working with Chase Manhattan Bank. Tom has over 20 years experience in accounting and business roles.
Before moving into Corporate Recovery and Insolvency with Friel Stafford in 2003, Tom developed wide ranging experience in finance roles with a number of leading financial institutions in a number of diverse areas including Corporate Treasury, Corporate Finance and Corporate Accounting.
He is one of Ireland’s most experienced corporate recovery and turnaround practitioners and was one of the first Personal Insolvency Practitioners licensed in Ireland.
He also is an experienced Corporate Financier with particular interest and expertise in the area of equity and debt fund raising, and the buying and selling of businesses.
He has extensive experience of all areas of Litigation Support and Expert witness. He has worked with private clients, SMEs, national companies, multi-nationals, county councils and various Government and Regulatory agencies in defending and bringing proceedings.
He is heavily involved with the ACCA accountancy body and is a past President of ACCA Ireland. He represented ACCA Ireland at the ACCA International Assembly in 2011. He was nominated in January 2021 by ACCA to represent it on the the CCABI insolvency Committee.
He is engaged by the three leading Accountancy bodies in Ireland as a lecturer for their CPD (Continuous Professional Development) in the area of Corporate Recovery, Insolvency and Personal Bankruptcy. Tom has written and presented two of the six modules in the Diploma in Insolvency run by Chartered Accountants Ireland.
He has contributed technical articles on Corporate Recovery and Insolvency for the magazines of the three leading Accountancy bodies in Ireland. He is currently writing a monthly column in this area for Accounting and Business Ireland – the magazine of ACCA Ireland.
He was asked to make numerous media appearance as an Insolvency expert and has appeared on RTE’s main news bulletins, TV3, Sky News, Newstalk and Today FM for comments on insolvency issues and business matters.
Brian Walker - The Bar of Ireland
Brian Walker is practicing barrister. He has nearly 45 years experience of company law and company secretarial practice, having previously worked with the accountancy firms of KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
He has been CPD lecturer in company law to the main accountancy bodies for the past thirty years. His approach to company law is straightforward, direct and easily understood. He will focus on changes in company and commercial law and the most important issues that arise daily for accountants, auditors and company directors.
Alison Walker - The Bar of Ireland
Alison Walker is a practising barrister who specialises in Company Law.
Alison is an Accredited Mediator and a member of the ADR Committee of the Bar of Ireland.
BCL, UCD
Barrister-at-Law Degree, The Honourable Society of King’s Inns
Jonathan Foley - Friel Stafford
TBA
Ian Barrett - BDO Ireland
Ian is a qualified accountant, Insolvency Practitioner and Partner in BDO’s Corporate Recovery practice. He has 20 years’ experience of managing large scale insolvencies and provides turnaround and restructuring advice to underperforming businesses, financial institutions, secured lenders and other key business stakeholders.
He acts as a formal appointment taker and managed some of the largest Creditors Voluntary Liquidations, Members Voluntary Liquidations, Court Liquidations, Examinerships, SCARPs and Receiverships across a wide range of industries with particular focus on construction, property, healthcare, retail, motor industry, technology and the hospitality sectors.
Ian regularly contributes to various business publications and presents to various representative groups / bodies on important restructuring topics.
Yvonne Clarke - RBK
Yvonne is MCIPD Accredited, with an MSc in HRM Leadership and she is also a Certified Workplace Mediator (The Mediators’ Institute of Ireland). Yvonne has a personal and practical approach and is experienced in working collaboratively with clients managing multiple, disparate activities, projects and transformation programmes ensuring people strategies are aligned with Business Strategic direction and Business Needs.
With over 22 years’ experience in all areas of Human Resource Management, she has worked in business areas such as Logistics, Manufacturing / Recycling, Not-For-Profit/Charity, Health and Social Care, Education and Corporate Functions such as Finance, IT, Quality & Corporate Governance and Strategic Planning & Development.
Edel Walsh - Edel Walsh Coaching and Consulting
Edel Walsh is the owner of Edel Walsh Coaching and Consulting.
She specialises in mental health and well-being coaching and workplace well-being coaching.
Edel is also a student mentor and coach supporting professional accountancy students through their exams. Edel supports her student clients get their exams as quickly as possible while maintaining balance and prioritizing their well-being.
Her corporate career started in KPMG where qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser. From there, Edel moved into professional education where she held senior lecturer and examinership roles within the professional accountancy bodies.
Barry Crushell – Crushell & Co
Barry is a former army officer, who served with the United Nations on multiple deployments. He trained with leading law firm Arthur Cox, before going on to establish the Dublin and London offices of a US law firm. Barry holds a BA in Law and Politics, LLM in Business Law, LLM in Dispute Resolution, MPhil in Linguistics and an Advanced Diploma in Employment Law.
His Doctorate in Law thesis examines the case conditions that typically lead to a successful claim before the Workplace Relations Commission. Barry is qualified to practice law in Ireland, Northern Ireland and England and Wales and is a member of the American Bar Association.
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