As the auditing profession braces for a pivotal year, 2025 marks the introduction of updated Continuing Professional Development (CPD) regulations by Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), bringing with it heightened obligations for members, especially those in audit and related practices.
In his session, Navigating the Audit Landscape in 2025: Top Issues for Auditors, Colm Owens explains why these updated CPD regulations are impacting auditors.
A Shift in CPD Expectations
Effective 1 January 2025, the CAI’s revised CPD framework significantly raises the bar for maintaining professional competence. Under the input-based approach, members will now be required to complete a minimum of 70 CPD hours annually. Importantly, at least 20 of these hours must be structured, while the remaining 50 hours may be unstructured. This updated structure underscores a renewed emphasis on ongoing, formal professional education.
Specific Requirements for Practising Members
The new regulations impose an additional layer of obligation for members working in practice or within practising firms. Such members must now complete a minimum of 10 hours of structured CPD annually in each service area in which they are engaged. These areas include:
- Audit/Accounting
- Sustainability Assurance
- Investment Business
- Insolvency Practice
- Tax
This targeted approach ensures that professionals maintain deep, current expertise in all areas of their practice — not just in general CPD topics.
Why This Matters for Auditors
For auditors in particular, these regulatory changes present both a challenge and an opportunity. The increased structured CPD requirements in the audit and accounting domain are designed to reinforce audit quality and trust, particularly as the profession faces growing scrutiny from regulators, stakeholders, and the public.
However, meeting these elevated requirements may strain resources — especially for smaller firms and sole practitioners who must now manage CPD commitments across multiple service lines. Time, cost, and accessibility of high-quality structured CPD will be key concerns as the transition unfolds.
Preparing for Compliance
Firms and individuals alike must now take proactive steps to align with the 2025 standards. This includes:
- Developing CPD plans tailored to individual service areas.
- Tracking CPD hours diligently, ensuring the right balance between structured and unstructured learning.
- Investing in relevant training platforms or partnering with CPD providers, like CPDStore, who offer recognised, structured programs.
The CAI’s 2025 CPD regulations reflect a broader move across the profession toward enhanced accountability, specialisation, and ethical rigour. While the changes introduce complexity, they also offer a clear path for professional growth and improved audit quality. For auditors, embracing this new landscape will be crucial to maintaining credibility and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving business environment.
Meeting your CPD requirements doesn't need to be a headache. Our CPD Club was developed to help busy professionals stay on top of their CPD.
For the full webinar, please click here. Key course highlights:
• Explore the top issues shaping the audit profession in 2025.
• Understand how regulatory shifts will impact your auditing practices.
• Stay up-to-date with current issues.
• Gain strategies to adapt and thrive in the ever-changing audit landscape.
The contents of this article are meant as a guide only and are not a substitute for professional advice. The authors accept no responsibility for any action taken, or refrained from, as a result of the material contained in this document. Specific advice should be obtained before acting or refraining from acting, in connection with the matters dealt with in this article.
