Dear Reader,

Welcome to the Christmas edition of our newsletter.

I would like to begin by wishing you and your family a healthy and happy Christmas and may the New Year bring you new and exciting changes, be they big or small.            

2018 has seen continued investment in the Quintas team, our most prized and valued asset. Headcount increased by 20% in 2018 with a similar increase planned for 2019.

This year we achieved a great honour by being awarded Platinum ACCA Approved Employer Status in recognition of the support provided by our firm to ACCA trainees working towards their professional accountancy qualification. This accreditation recognises our commitment to providing the highest standards in training, work experience and investment in our graduates.

At Quintas we have developed a team to be proud of, delivering expertise across many disciplines. We have a young and energetic group of people who have created a great culture and make our firm a great place to work in. Our hardworking social committee play a major part in developing a positive environment with teamwork being one of our core values.

As we turn the final page on the 2018 yearbook, we would like to express our thanks and gratitude to our clients for their continued loyalty and custom. 2018 was another amazing year in terms of new client take on, the majority of whom have been referred to us by our existing clients. Your belief in Quintas gives us the confidence to continue investing in great people.

We look forward to working with you in 2019.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

It’s going to be a very Nappy Christmas!!

This Christmas will be very different for me having just become a father at the age of 42 something that was never looking too likely. Now that it’s happened of course it’s been the best thing ever. I was never too interested in kids or babies but they say it’s different when they are your own and that has very much been the case. Aoife is the best little girl in the whole wide world and I’m sure every father thinks the same about his own!

10 tips to consider when getting your business ready for a sale

Have you ever watched a television show looking at a home owner struggling to sell their home and wondered aloud how they could possibly have expected to sell when the property clearly wasn’t ready for potential buyers walking through the front door?

Whilst selling a business is very different from selling a house, the basic principle is the same, the seller must be prepared if they want to achieve the best possible price.

Here we set out some of the key steps that should be taken to prepare a private business for a sale.

Better Energy Homes Scheme

In an era of rising energy costs and our over dependence on fossil fuels it may be an appropriate time to consider some energy saving solutions in our homes which may be eligible for grant funding from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

The Better Energy Homes Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and provides grants to homeowners to improve energy efficiency in their homes. Landlords and owners of more than one property can also apply for a grant under the scheme.

The new Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Act 2018

The long awaited Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2018 (the 2018 Act) was signed by the President into law on 14^th November 2018 and fully transposes the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (MLD4) in Ireland. The 2018 Act introduces a number of amendments to existing anti-money laundering (AML) legislation set out in the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts 2010 and 2013. The Act does not repeal the current legislation. Going forward, all businesses falling within the scope of this legislation will need to comply with three separate Acts and any associated guidance.

Welcome to our Personal Insolvency update.

The main elements of concern for those in debt in 2019 will be engaging with the Vulture Fund that has purchased their loan and the attitude of the courts as regards granting the repossession of their family home.

In a case where someone is being pursued by a Vulture fund or their bank the only form of protection available to them is availing of the personal insolvency legislation and making an application for a Protective Certificate (PC). A PC immediately stops all legal and enforcement proceedings against an individual on the date the PC is issued for a period of 70 days. This allows a Personal Insolvency Practitioner (PIP) step into the person’s shoes during the PC period to put a restructure in place to resolve the person’s debt and in most cases, they retain their family home.

Christmas at Quintas

A big thank you to all the Partners and Staff of Quintas who donated generously to St. Vincent de Paul in their Christmas Food and Toy Appeal and for raising funds in their recent coffee morning in aid of the Cork Simon Community.

Pictured below are Nicola, Don and Sally donating a cheque on behalf of Quintas to Angela from the Cork Simon Community. 

The Quintas Team are pictured below on their recent trip to The Hague, enjoying the Christmas Celebrations.

CPA Awards

Patrick Kearney was invited to present the Faculty Award on behalf of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Ireland (CPA) to Sofia Zintiridou, the recipient of this year’s award for the Bachelor of Business in Accounting (Part-time).

New Arrivals

We would like to extend a huge congratulations to Sean Grahame and his partner Tara on the arrival of baby Aoife and to Ciarán Mullan and his wife Noelle on the birth of baby Doireann.

Graduate Program

If you are interested in a career in accountancy, we are now accepting applications for our 2019 Graduate Program. Applications can be made through our website at www.quintas.ie