CHANGING REGISTERED OFFICE?

Posted in Category(ies): Latest News, Registered Office Agent
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

This is a topic close to my heart as KomSec has just moved its registered office for the first time in 18 years.

The simple first steps are:

  • Directors to pass a resolution noting the change in registered office to a specific address with effect from a specific date;
  • statutory form is then filed in the Companies Registration Office; and
  • update Company Statutory Registers.

The fun starts with all the behind the scenes bits, for example:

  • notifying clients and suppliers;
  • engaging with staff;
  • packing for the move which definitely includes some hard decisions on what to bring (we had some serious shredding to do);
  • re-direction of post;
  • updating bank details, including any finance contracts/leases;
  • transferring website, software/hardware support; and
  • not forgetting to tell the landlord!

Have a Step Plan in place and ensure it is regularly monitored and updated.  It honestly is not as bad as it seems but, the new leafy streets of Pembroke Road will never be able to complete with the sea at Blackrock!

KomSec Limited will be closed for the Easter Break from 03.04.2026 to 06.04.2026 inclusive.

Posted in Category(ies): Latest News
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

KomSec Limited will be closed from 03.04.2026 to 06.04.2026 inclusive.

Enjoy the Easter break and try not to eat too many Easter eggs!

Prosecutions on the rise for failure to file beneficial ownership information

Posted in Category(ies): Beneficial Ownership, Latest News
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

Already this year the Registrar of Beneficial Ownership has brought prosecutions for failure to file beneficial ownership information with the Central Register of Beneficial Ownership before the Dublin District Court. The consequences for non-compliance can be severe and can attract a fine of up to €5,000 on summary conviction and up to €500,000 on indictment (and/or imprisonment). In 2024 (the latest up to date official figures available) 31 cases came before the District Court. 11 entities were convicted and fined and 20 entities pleaded guilty and had the Probation Act applied. Based on the number of prosecutions since just the start of this year, it seems certain that these numbers will be far exceeded in 2026.

As well as the risk of prosecution, the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Act 2021 requires all ‘designated persons’ (e.g., banks, financial institutions etc) to inspect the Register of Beneficial Ownership as part of their customer due diligence before establishing a business relationship with a customer. They are obliged to report any discrepancies and non-compliance to the Registrar. Again the expectation is that the issuance of Discrepancy Notices will increase significantly this year.

KomSec can help and advise you on everything your company needs to be and remain compliant with Beneficial Ownership, allowing you to avoid Discrepancy Notices and possible prosecution.

Board Diversity

Posted in Category(ies): Boards, Latest News
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

 

A Board should challenge itself, and its Management Team. It should actively review, question, explore potential flaws, exploit current and future potential of the Company.  The greatest threat faced by any Company is not political or economic but, complacency. Having a diverse Board should be a key tool to ensure complacency does not exist or creep into a company structure unseen or, unchallenged.

Board Diversity should embrace all diversity in order to maximise its own potential, for example:

  • gender – a no brainer, society consists of different genders, why would a Board not reflect the realities of society;
  • ageism – maintaining a balanced age profile on a Board provides experience and fresh thinking;
  • occupation – Director occupations can bring an imbalance to a Board, e.g. the majority of individual Directors on the Board of an engineering company should not be engineers;
  • length of service – staying too long on a Board can, in some cases, end up being a little like a guest who is enjoying themselves so much they do not realise they are no longer as entertaining as they once were!

Appointing an individual simply to “fit” whatever is the current hot topic for Board Diversity is insulting to the individual, and an utter waste of time for the Board, Management and the Company itself.

Boards must willingly embrace the concept of diversity in all its guises, and support the individual Directors, and the Company adapt to the change in Board dynamics.

Board diversity is for the long haul, there are no shortcuts but, like anything that is hard work the results should be worth waiting for.

SHORT MONTH – SHORT BLOG (well almost!)

Posted in Category(ies): Latest News
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

 

 

Update your diary with key dates for the year.

February

After the long wait for February to arrive the month will be over before you know it!

March

Accountants / Auditors – ensure preparation of your company’s financial statements are in their work diary so can comply with statutory requirements and deadlines later in the year.

April

Easter egg to buy, hide and munch!

May

Bank holiday – enjoy!

June

School exams / school ends – phew, cannot believe all the school angst is finally over!

July

Holiday season – time to take stock and sort out professional commitments and goals.

August

Annual General Meeting (AGM) – convene AGM which can be held in person, virtually, combination of both or, by way of written resolution.

September

23rd September – deadline to pay Corporation Tax.
30th September – Annual Return Date (ARD) for bulk of companies.

October

31st October – deadline to file Personal Tax Return.

November

25th November deadline to file 30th September Annual Return.

Ensure you top up Company pension by 31st December.

December

Order turkey, buy presents.  Then start your worklist ready to start the year all over again

Compliance Calendar for Charities to help with Annual Reporting in 2026

Posted in Category(ies): Charities, Latest NewsLeave a Comment on Compliance Calendar for Charities to help with Annual Reporting in 2026
Van-Geraghty
Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance Tel: +353 (0) 505 34101 Email: vgeraghty@komsec.ie  

Compliance Calendar for Charities to help with Annual Reporting in 2026

 

Charities have an obligation to complete and file an online annual report with the Charities Regulator within 10 months of their financial year-end. For the majority of charities, their year-end is 31 December which means their annual report is due on or before the 31 October.

January

Time to start preparing your charity’s financial accounts for 2025. If you are using the services of a third party, such as an accountant, to prepare these accounts reach out to them now. Check what information they need and when.

Agree on a date for the board meeting when the accounts will be approved by the charity trustees. The accounts will need to be ready ahead of the meeting so they can be circulated to the trustees to give them the opportunity to review them.

Make sure to notify whoever is preparing your accounts (especially if you are using the services of a third party) of the date the accounts need to be ready for circulation and inform them. You might want to remind them that it is an offence for a charity to file its annual report late to the Charities Regulator, so it’s important to meet the deadline.

April

Draft financial accounts for 2025 are ready and circulated to all trustees of the charity.

May

Draft financial accounts are reviewed at the board meeting and approved by the charity trustees. If charity trustees have questions on the accounts that need to be clarified or are seeking further details, approval of the accounts can be deferred to the next meeting so the necessary information can be obtained and shared with charity trustees.

June

Financial accounts for 2025 are approved by the board. Begin to draft the annual report on finances and activities for the Charities Regulator.

August /September

Ahead of September board meeting, circulate the draft annual report to the charity trustees for their review.

September

Charity trustees review and approve the annual report to be submitted to the Charities Regulator. The report is now ready to be submitted. However, if further discussion is required, the decision to approve can be deferred to the October board meeting.

October

The report is submitted to the Charities Regulator.

 

Remember that if a Charity does not file its annual report on time it could ultimately be removed from the Charities Register and prosecuted in the district court.

 

2026 Key Dates – important and not so important ones!

Posted in Category(ies): Latest News
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

 

2026 KEY DATES – important and not so important ones!

January 2026

01.01.2026                                                New Year’s Day – last chance to relax before going back to work

05.01.2026                                                Congrats! You made it back to work

08.01.2026                                                Earth Rotation Day – Keep spinning!

28.01.2026                                                Global International Data Protection – yes, more GDPR!

January                                                      Make sure you have set up dates for all quarterly board meetings during 2026

 

February 2026

05.02.2026                                               Six Nations Rugby France v Ireland

11.02.2026                                                International Women & Girls in Science

 

March 2026

17.03.2026                                               St. Patricks Day – everyone is happy to be seen in public with green face paint!

20.03.2026                                               Local Property Tax deadline – if paying full amount in one go

30.03.2026                                               Mother’s Day – do not give her flowers bought at the petrol station on the way home!

March                                                       Quarterly Board Meeting time

 

April 2026

05.04.2026                                                Easter Day

06.04.2026                                                No groaning – you knew what you were doing when you ate all those chocolate Easter eggs!

April                                                           Audit – make sure someone is actively managing the Audit which includes telling the Auditors!

 

May 2026

04.05.2026                                                Bank Holiday – May Day

09.05.2026                                                Europe Day

 

June 2026

03.06.2026                                                Bank Holiday

21.06.2026                                                Father’s Day – see Mother’s Day advice above!

23.06.2026                                                Lewis Capaldi in Marlay Park

26.06.2026                                                The Cure in Marlay Park (if Lewis Capaldi doesn’t do it for you!)

 

July 2026

01.07.2026                                                Ireland take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

19.07.2026                                                World Cup Final – Ireland playing – we can dream!

 

August 2026

03.08.2026                                               Bank Holiday

26.08.2026                                               International Dog Day   – paws for thought!

 

September 2026

18.09.2026                                               Culture Night- visit Cork City Hall or the Mansion House in Dublin

30.09.2026                                               Annual Return Date for the bulk of companies – panic or call us!

September                                               Quarterly Board Meeting time

 

October 2026

01.10.2026                                             Breast Cancer Awareness month

28.10.2026                                             Annual Return – deadline for electronic filing. This is it, now or never…… FILE!

31.10.2026                                             Spooky time!

 

November 2026

08.11.2025                                              International Tongue Twister Day – she sells sea shells on the seashore…

13.11.2026                                              Friday the 13th …….. you have been warned!

November                                               Charity Trustee’s Week

 

December 2026

24.12.2026                                             Santa Claus is coming – I hope you are on the good list!

25.12.2026                                             Make sure the oven is on, and the turkey is in!

December                                              Quarterly Board Meeting time

 

 

01.01.2027                                             Here we go again!

Don’t delay – do your beneficial ownership filings today!

Posted in Category(ies): Beneficial Ownership, Latest News
Kathryn-Maybury
A post by Kathryn Maybury | Managing Director | KOMSEC Limited | Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance | Tel: +353 (0) 1 2107595 Email: kmaybury@komsec.ie  

Newly incorporated companies often struggle to open a bank account until they’ve completed all required filings with the Registry of Beneficial Ownership — even though they technically have five months from incorporation to do so.

More and more financial institutions are now treating beneficial ownership information as a key part of their due-diligence process. That means existing companies shouldn’t delay filing, nor should they overlook the need to keep their beneficial ownership details current.

Consider this your heads-up!

9th Charity Trustees’ Week

Posted in Category(ies): Charities, Latest NewsLeave a Comment on 9th Charity Trustees’ Week
Van-Geraghty
Company Secretarial Services | Corporate Governance | Compliance Tel: +353 (0) 505 34101 Email: vgeraghty@komsec.ie  

9th Charity Trustees’ Week

10 – 14 November 2025

The Charities Regulatory Authority is hosting Trustees’ Week in conjunction with Boardmatch Ireland, Carmichael, Charities Institute Ireland, Dóchas, Pobal, The Wheel and Volunteer Ireland this year and is well worth checking out.

 

Marking its ninth anniversary, this initiative offers events and complimentary resources to honor the vital work and commitment by Trustees who generously volunteer their time and hard work for over 11,000 charities in Ireland.

Check out their calendar of free events and use the hashtag:#TrusteesWeekIrl if you’re on social media.