Cost of Business Advisory Forum Report

In June 2025, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD established the Cost of Business Advisory Forum to examine the costs involved in running a business in Ireland and regulatory issues that impact upon the enterprise sector. The Forum provided a platform for regulators and State agencies to hear directly from business owners and industry representatives.

The Irish Tax Institute was an active member of the Forum which considered specific themes at each meeting including:

• Public Utilities: Energy Costs and Security of Supply
• Professional Services: Insurance Costs
• Regulation and Planning: Regulatory Burden and Infrastructural Delivery
• Public Utilities: Water Services
• Professional Services: Legal Costs
• Regulation: Reporting and Compliance (incl. Revenue)

Members were invited to submit observations to the Forum in respect of each specific theme. In respect of the theme on professional services insurance costs, the Institute submitted observations to the Forum on 5 September 2025. To help us provide feedback to the Forum on the questions circulated in advance of the meeting, we surveyed Institute members to gather their insights and experiences of the types of insurance most critical to the tax profession, the costs involved and difficulties encountered in accessing insurance products, in particular Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance. As survey respondents identified PI insurance as the most critical to their business, it is the main focus of our submission.

In respect of the theme on reporting and compliance associated with tax measures, the Institute submitted observations to the Forum on 4 February 2026 outlining three areas of the tax code where members believe action is required to reduce the costs faced by businesses seeking to comply with their tax obligations. These are: Enhanced Reporting Requirements (ERR); complexity in tax legislation and administration; and proportionate sanctions for administrative errors. During the meeting, the Institute’s Director of Tax Policy & Representations, Anne Gunnell, gave a short presentation to the Forum on the three areas highlighted in our submission.

In July 2026, the Chair of the Forum presented the Forum’s final report to Minister Burke.

Institute Submissions and Presentation

View the Institute’s submissions to the Forum on professional services insurance costs and reporting and compliance associated with tax measures, and related presentation.

View the Submissions and Presentation