A number of publicly supported bodies, including the Irish Productivity Centre and the Irish Council for the European Movement, are on the latest strike-off list published by the Companies Registration Office.

The list concentrates on firms limited by guarantee but without a share capital and includes professional and voluntary bodies including the Irish Farmers' Association, Eireann Iontaobaithe Teoranta), which has since filed the required returns.

More than 1,600 companies were given until February to file returns or be struck off. Some may have already done so.

Commercial operations are also listed and include Tribune Newspapers, the publisher of the Sunday Tribune.

Others are the Big Issues and the Big Issues Housing Association, the Temple Bar Music Centre, the National Tax Union of Ireland, the Cavan and Monaghan chambers of commerce.

The list was posted on the Internet in December and is accompanied by a special note stating that, because of the emphasis on firms without a share capital, more time than is usually the case (one month) is being given for the filing of returns. The list is also published in Iris Oifigiuil.

"The registrar has decided to extend the time limit in respect of these companies by allowing them until February 9th, 2001, to file their outstanding annual returns," the note states.

Firms limited by guarantee must file returns (accompanied by accounts), regardless of how small or insignificant their operations, the note states.

"The registrar has decided to allow this particular set of companies some extra time to bring their affairs into order.

"Many of these companies mistakenly assume that, because of the voluntary or charitable nature of their operation, they are not obliged to file annual returns."