Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Company Registration Office.

Austin Currie

Ceist:

146 Mr. Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will extend the period for the filing of annual returns to the Company Registration Office (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26935/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Treacy):

The Companies (Fees) Order, 2001, S.I. No. 477 of 2001, provided for the introduction of a progressively increasing late filing fee where a company fails to file an annual return with the Registrar of Companies within the statutory due period. The order came into effect on 26 October 2001. Advance notice of the new late filing fees was heavily advertised by the Companies Registration Office.

Furthermore, practitioners in this area would have been well aware, from the passage of the Company Law Enforcement Bill, 2000, through the Oireachtas, of these and other proposals aimed at improving the level of compliance by Irish companies with their filing obligations.

Companies with their financial year ending on 31 December 2000 still have until 16 December 2001 to submit their annual return to the Companies Registration Office to avoid incurring a late filing penalty. Companies with a financial year ending later than 31 December 2000 will have even more time to submit their annual return without penalty – for example, companies with a financial year ending 31 March 2001 will have until mid March 2002 to submit their annual return without incurring a late filing penalty.

In the circumstances, I do not propose to extend the period for the filing of annual returns to the Companies Registration Office.