Practice Accounting Salary Survey 2025

Over the past 18 months, the Irish practice market has experienced significant consolidation. Notable transactions include Azets’, Baker Tilly Ireland, Xeinadin, Mazars and IFAC.

These consolidations reflect a broader trend of firms seeking scale, technological investment, and enhanced advisory capabilities to meet evolving client demands.

For candidates, consolidation should lead to greater career progression opportunities, more streamlined work practices and better benefits packages. Operating under global brand names, firms can compete for larger clients, centralise and distribute resources nationally and leverage the global network. This will bring an era of modernisation for staff in acquired firms and exposure to the benefits of working for global organisations.

“Consolidation is bringing an era of process modernisation for staff in acquired independent firms and exposure to the benefits of working for global organisations”

Meanwhile, the rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting presents both significant opportunities and challenges for audit teams. All auditors will need to upskill in ESG reporting, however,
it looks as though a specialised ESG compliance and standards role will develop in medium and large firms as is already the case in the Top 6 firms.

This could be an exciting new area to develop expertise, both in traditional compliance roles and as strategic advisors, helping clients identify risks, set meaningful targets, and implement effective
monitoring systems.

The majority of firms are settling on a hybrid working model, there are a notable number of firms offering fully remote and many returning to fully onsite. This suggests that individual firms’ working model is down to
business preference and personnel.

At every tier of the market, firms are hiring talent from overseas, particularly in risk and assurance, to offset supply shortages.