On the evening of 6 May, we streamed our annual Conferring Ceremony to all our 2020 conferees and their families, welcoming 231 newly qualified CTAs and a group of 21 Tax Technicians. Though it was not the same as our in-person celebration at O’Reilly Hall, each individual was recognised for their achievement – and what an achievement it is to become qualified during a pandemic!

Our President, Sandra Clarke, commended each of them, sharing words of wisdom to remember during their careers. Ms Clarke said, “You join the profession at an extraordinarily busy and fascinating time. I’ve been in practice for thirty years now and I can tell you in times of crisis, tax advisers, as the interface between business and the State, are front and centre. It’s happening at the moment as we try to mitigate the impact of Brexit on trade. So, be aware that what you will do in your career really matters, not just to your clients but to the broader economy and well-being of our people.”

Awards Ceremony

Just before the Conferring, 18 generously sponsored awards were presented to our winners by the sponsoring firms.  On behalf of the Institute, Sandra congratulated them on their outstanding performance and dedication. She continued, “it’s a while since I qualified but I know well that the CTA programme is tough and exacting.  To pass the exams is a significant achievement, but to excel, as you have done, is truly exceptional.  You should be very proud of yourselves.”

We are very proud of this year’s winners – Sarah Bradley, Joanne O’Sullivan, Sophie Marshall, Aniekeme Samuel, Michelle Hamm, Sarah McEvitt, Damien Kiniry, Jen Preston, Anna Forde, Eseoghene Elizabeth Shalomi, Paige Kelly, Conor Burke, Orlaith Flynn, Kevin Nyhan, Luke Morrison, Stephanie Walsh, Alvin Pieterse and Ruth Ryan. We also want to thank the twelve sponsoring firms for their generosity and continued support of the CTA programme.

One last congratulations to all our new members! We look forward to working with you in the future and supporting you through your career. The Conferring Ceremony is available to watch back below or on YouTube.