AI Training for Accountants in Dublin: What the Professional Bodies Say

If you are looking for AI training for accountants in Dublin, a sensible first step is to see what your professional body has actually published. This article summarises what we could read on the public pages of Chartered Accountants Ireland and ACCA as of 9 October 2026, and explains why we cannot report CPA Ireland guidance. We only describe what those pages say. We have not seen the full text of every guide, and your own body's current rules always take priority.

Accountants often handle confidential client information, which makes the data protection side of AI use important. Our overview of the Data Protection Commission's guidance on AI and large language models covers that angle for employers.

Chartered Accountants Ireland

Chartered Accountants Ireland has an Artificial Intelligence hub on its website. The hub describes itself as offering practical guidance, thought leadership, case studies, policy updates and learning resources on AI in accountancy. As of our reading, it lists:

• A position paper titled "An empowered profession: AI and the future of accountancy."
• Sections on AI legislation, articles and insights, and courses that build AI skills for accountants.
• News items dated 14 August 2026, 27 August 2026 and 11 June 2026.

The most directly relevant item is the news item dated 14 August 2026, "Ethical use of AI guide for members published." It announces a publication called "The Ethical Use of AI Technologies: A concise guide for Members," available as a PDF. The item says AI tools are already used across the profession and wider business to boost productivity and support decisions, and that accountants remain responsible for the judgements they make. It says the guide covers the ethical opportunities and challenges of AI from several perspectives, the fundamental principles in the Chartered Accountants Ireland Code of Ethics, and practical examples and questions for reflection. We read the announcement, not the PDF itself.

The hub also shows a news item dated 27 August 2026 titled "Ethics in the digital age: Help shape new CCAB guidance on the ethical use of AI." We read only the title, so we cannot say what the CCAB guidance will contain or when it will be final. The 14 August news item also lists, under related resources, a Certificate in AI Foundations for Accountants, which it says begins on 22 October 2026. That is Chartered Accountants Ireland's own offering, and you should check its page for details and eligibility.

The Institute's public policy page on AI lists two letters under a Representations heading, dated March 2025 (to Jeremy Hunt) and June 2024 (to Minister Peter Burke), which are representations rather than member guidance.

ACCA

ACCA's AI Monitor page (published 26 February 2025, metadata last modified 15 October 2025) sets out a series of reports produced with ACCA's Global Forum for Technology. The page lists six, from newest: "Urgent action needed on AI's ethical challenges," "How is AI reshaping finance and accounting work?," "Understanding AI risk as a professional accountant," "Unravelling AI's role in sustainability," "Skills to drive responsible AI adoption," and "Trust in an AI enabled accountancy profession." The page describes the third of these as offering guidance on AI governance and risk management.

ACCA's news release on the ACCA and CISI report "AI Monitor: Shining a light on AI's ethical threats for finance professionals" (October 2025, page last modified 22 October 2025) makes recommendations directed at accountants and at employers. For accountants, it calls on individuals to strengthen their awareness of ethical dilemmas when using AI, supported by practical checklists to guide decisions. For employers, it says organisations are urged to create governance frameworks, set the right leadership tone and foster a culture that enables professionals to exercise judgement responsibly.

ACCA's page on its on-demand webinar "Navigating ethics in the age of AI" describes a free, on-demand recorded session covering insights from its ethical AI report, how AI is changing accounting and assurance work, and practical steps for ethics and integrity. The page shows no date, and it does not set out the report's specific recommendations.

On the AI Monitor page, ACCA's Head of Ethics and Assurance is quoted as arguing that AI changes how finance professionals work but not the profession's core principles of integrity, objectivity and accountability, and as linking AI literacy to public trust.

CPA Ireland

We could not find a CPA Ireland guidance document on AI for members on a page we were able to read, so we make no claim about what CPA Ireland requires or recommends. What we did read:

• A CPA Ireland students e-bulletin item filed under February 2024 (the article itself is dated January 2024), which reports that the Government's Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council would provide independent expert advice to government on AI policy. That is a government body, not CPA Ireland guidance.
• An article on CPA Ireland's digital magazine site, under a March 2024 issue address, written by two principals at the International Federation of Accountants. It discusses opportunities and challenges of AI for accountants and says confidential data should not be entered into free tools. The page shows no date and does not mention CPA Ireland's own position, so this reflects the authors' views.

One further CPA Ireland page on ethical considerations for accountants using AI tools could not be read, so we do not describe it. If you are a CPA Ireland member, check your member area for current material.

The EU AI Act angle for firms

Accountancy practices and finance teams that use AI tools should also look at Article 4 of the EU AI Act. The European Commission's AI literacy Q&A page (last updated 27 July 2026) says providers and deployers must take measures to support the AI literacy of their staff, and that there is no need for a certificate and no obligation to measure employees' knowledge. Our summary of the wider picture for finance staff is in AI training for finance professionals in Dublin.

A practical approach (our suggestions)

These are our own suggestions and are not drawn from any professional body.

• Read your body's ethics guidance first, and note which parts apply to your role: practice, business or audit.
• Agree internally which AI tools are approved and what client information may be entered, then record it.
• Make sure someone reviews AI-assisted output before it goes to a client or into a filing.
• Use CPD time for AI topics that match what you actually use, and keep a record of what you did.

Learnsignal's offices are off Baggot Street in Dublin, and we offer in-person training from there. For current details, see our CPD pages.

Frequently asked questions

Has Chartered Accountants Ireland published AI guidance for members?

Its news page dated 14 August 2026 announces "The Ethical Use of AI Technologies: A concise guide for Members." We read the announcement and not the guide itself.

Does ACCA publish guidance on AI?

ACCA publishes the AI Monitor series and a joint ACCA and CISI ethics report, with recommendations for accountants and employers. These are research reports and recommendations, and we have not treated them as mandatory rules.

What has CPA Ireland said?

We did not find a CPA Ireland member guidance document on pages we could read, so we cannot say. Check the body directly.

Do accountants need a certificate to comply with the AI Act?

The Commission's Q&A says no certificate is needed for Article 4 compliance. Professional-body qualifications may still be useful for other reasons, which is a matter for you and your body.

Professional-body pages change often, so treat this summary as a snapshot dated 9 October 2026 and confirm details on the bodies' own websites. For a broader look at the Irish market, see our guide to AI training for accountants in Ireland.