(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

Preliminary corporation tax must be paid within six months after the end of a company's accounting period. Where that results in a payment date which is after the 28th of a month, payment must be made by the 28th of that month. Section 78(1) (f) of Finance Act, 2001 amended section 958 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 allowing the Minister for Finance to make an Order providing that preliminary corporation tax be paid on any earlier date in that month. This Order appoints the 20 December 2001 as the earlier date where a company's accounting period ends between the dates 21 to 30 June 2001. The Order enables the Minister for Finance to ensure that the Exchequer will receive the benefit of a preliminary tax payment within the month in which it is payable and that payments due in this year will be received in this year and accounted for as receipts of this year.