Accountants and corporate service providers in Dublin

Dublin has the largest concentration of accountants and corporate service providers in Ireland: 102 firms here prepare the filings for a new company and then keep its books, payroll and returns in order. For a foreign founder this is the place to start looking, because the choice runs from one-person practices to the large networks.

Fifty-four of the 102 firms say that foreign clients are a particular focus, so the question to ask is not whether a firm has seen an overseas owner, but how recently and for what kind of company.

Firms in Dublin

Cronin

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Dublin

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more

Languages: English

View profile of Cronin

Kinore

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Dublin

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more
View profile of Kinore

Taxback

Accounting firm · International network

Dublin

  • Tax compliance
  • VAT

Languages: English · German · Spanish · French …

View profile of Taxback

78 more firms in Dublin

How the Dublin market is organised

Ninety-three of the firms are accounting practices, 8 are corporate service providers and 1 is a law firm. Small practices make up 83, large networks 11 and medium-sized firms 8. If your company will be one entity with one shareholder, a small practice is usually enough. If it belongs to a group, the eleven large networks are used to coordinating several entities and to working with an overseas head office.

Construction is the industry named most often, by 23 firms, followed by retail (21), hospitality (18) and technology (16). Startups, professional services, manufacturing, healthcare and financial services all appear too. That spread is wider than in a smaller city, which helps a founder in a niche trade: you can ask for a firm that already keeps books for companies like yours rather than accept a generalist.

The entity types named most often are the limited company (56 firms), sole trader (31) and partnership (18). Branches are named by 8 firms, holding companies by 7 and companies limited by guarantee by 6. Trading profits of a company resident in Ireland are charged at the rate set out by Revenue, which also states a different rate for non-trading income such as rent, so tell your accountant at the outset what the company will earn.

Services and languages

Tax compliance is offered by 101 firms and accounting by 96. Payroll is offered by 92, VAT returns by 90, corporate secretarial work by 86 and company formation by 85. Audit is offered by 52 firms, which is more than half, so a company near the audit thresholds has a real choice. Virtual office services are offered by 29 firms and bank account assistance by 16, while residency and visa help is offered by 2.

English is offered by 40 firms. Spanish, Chinese and Polish are each offered by 3 or 4, and French, Mandarin and Portuguese by 2 each, with single firms offering Hindi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Cantonese, German and Romanian. Many firms do not state a language at all, so if you need service in anything other than English, ask directly. Non-resident landlords are a client group named by 6 firms, and multinational groups by 5.

Next steps

The legal steps for a new company are explained once in the Ireland country guide. If you want a second city to compare, the other page is Cork. To put your plans in front of suitable Dublin firms without writing to each, send one free quote request and Accountanty will forward it.

Frequently asked questions

Which languages do accountants in Dublin work in?

Forty of the 102 Dublin firms work in English. Spanish is offered by 4, and Chinese and Polish by 3 each, with French, Mandarin and Portuguese by 2 each. Many firms state no language, so ask directly if you need service in anything other than English.

Do Dublin firms handle company formation and the yearly accounts?

Mostly yes. Company formation is offered by 85 firms, corporate secretarial work by 86 and accounting by 96. Ask whether the formation fee, the secretarial work and the monthly accounts are quoted separately, and who files the annual return.

How many Dublin firms focus on foreign clients?

Fifty-four of the 102 firms say that foreign clients are a particular focus. Ask for an example of a company they set up for a director who lives abroad, and which documents that director had to supply.

Is audit available from Dublin firms?

Yes. Half of the Dublin field, 52 firms, offers audit. If your company may cross the audit thresholds, ask early whether the same firm can audit and prepare the accounts, or whether it must hand the audit to another practice.

Can a Dublin firm look after a company based outside Dublin?

Often yes, since filings with the registry and the tax authority are made online. For a company based in the south, the Cork page lists firms there. The country guide explains the legal steps.

Other cities in Ireland

Services in Ireland

Setting up a company in Ireland: the guide and every firm

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.