The new 0.6% pensions levy – which will net the government €1.65 billion – must be passed on to pensioners or it may threaten the solvency of existing underfunded defined benefit pension plans according to the pensions industry. Continue Reading

It is last-chance saloon for pension savers as the Government tax grab takes hold from next Sunday, The Sunday Times advises.

On September 25, trustees will be forced to deduct the Government’s new pension levy for 2011 from their schemes. It will be imposed on 0.6% of the value of their funds for four years and this squeeze will likely intensify next year with the reduction on tax reliefs on contributions, the newspaper warns. Continue Reading

The Companies Registration Office in Dublin have just announced proposed changes to their Voluntary Strike Off procedure, which are due to take effect from 1st May, reports Sean Kavanagh of CFI. Continue Reading

The Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs has recently published an Order commencing certain provisions of the Charities Act 2009.
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The Council of the Law Society has recently agreed new regulations to prohibit the giving of commercial undertakings by its members. The new regulations will come into effect on 1 December 2010. Continue Reading

More than two-thirds of Irish adults (70%) do not have a will in place, research from Irish Life published today reveals. Even more surprising is the fact that over half of parents (53%) do not have a will in place. Continue Reading

The  Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has announced that the remit of the Small Claims Court is being extended to include small businesses. Businesses can now file claims against other businesses in respect of goods or services purchased up to the value of €2,000.  However, claims cannot be made in respect of debts, personal injuries or breach of leasing or hire purchase agreements.

The head of the Probate Office has advised that information available to the public about the contents of wills was ‘an invasion of privacy’ and put beneficiaries ‘at risk’.

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The District Court free criminal aid scheme, which has so far been restricted to solicitors, is being extended to include barristers.

The decision follows a ruling by the Supreme Court that defendants should be entitled to representation by counsel in serious or complicated cases.

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New rules came into effect recently allowing applicants to apply to the Registrar of Companies to reserve a specified name for a company prior to incorporation.

If the proposed name is acceptable to the Registrar the applicant will be notified that the proposed name is reserved for a period of 28 days. During this period no other company may be incorporated with the reserved name.

An application fee of €25 is due with all applications and an additional €25 is required for an extension of the reservation period. Applications to reserve a specified name may be submitted to the Companies Online Registration Environment service available on the CRO website www.cro.ie