Broader tax deadline talks sought

A broader consultation process regarding long-term tax deadlines for small businesses and self-assessed payers, and the removal of late filing penalties, have been called for, in light of the Government postponing — rather than scrapping — proposed changes to the pay-and-file deadlines.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan announced yesterday that he will not change the deadlines in 2014, as initially planned. However, he still intended to bring pay-and-file dates forward — via next year’s Finance Bill — starting in 2015, “in order to provide increased certainty around the annual tax take and forecasting process, following the move to an earlier budget day”.

While the postponement was broadly welcomed by lobby groups, there was acknowledgment that it was only putting off potential hardships for SMEs for a year or so.