Businesses given more time by CRO to file annual return due to systems issues

Companies have been granted a two-week extension to the deadline for filing an annual return after the Companies Registration Office (CRO) admitted many were experiencing difficulties with its systems.

The deadline had previously been extended to Friday, but in a short statement on Thursday the CRO said it was “aware of difficulties being experienced by presenters in trying to file annual returns in the run up to the filing deadline”.

It added: “We are working to resolve these issues and would like to thank presenters for their patience at this time. In recognition of these difficulties, the registrar has decided to further extend the deadline to Friday, June 11th.”

Brian Carrig, an accountant with Knowles O’Dowd Carrig, said there had been a systems failure within the CRO, which was compounding difficulties for “already struggling SMEs”.

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“They implemented a new IT system, and since then there have been ongoing system errors,” he said. “A greater than two week extension is what is required.

“There have been a load of issues with it. I suppose it is understandable when a new system is put in, but for the past few days we haven’t been able to file any annual returns, or it has been very slow.

Not registered

“The process is that you file the return and get a confirmation of that. We have documents submitted back in January which are still not registered on the CRO system.

“We deal with small and medium sized enterprises, like restaurants and pubs, that haven’t been open in over a year. They have no money coming in. They can’t afford to pay their accountants to prepare accounts and yet they are still obliged to file an annual return which requires the preparation of these accounts.

“All these companies are only surviving because of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and some of the subsidies.”

‘Resolving the issues’

In correspondence with Mr Carrig, an official with the CRO said its IT staff was “working on resolving the issues”.

“The extensions announced were in recognition of the difficulties that companies faced during the lockdown,” she said. “It is true that some companied benefited from a greater extension than others.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said there had been “a high volume of traffic” on the CRO’s systems ahead of the original deadline. “The CRO continues to work to resolve the issues experienced by presenters,” it added.

Minister for Company Regulation Robert Troy welcomed the decision to extend the current arrangement.

“I welcome the decision by the registrar to extend the filing deadline for annual returns, in recognition of the difficulties being experienced by some businesses and their professional advisers in relation to filing obligations,” he said.

“This will give much needed breathing space for those who are currently experiencing difficulties and have not yet completed filing.”