The annual accounts, or appropriation accounts, of my Department are prepared in accordance with the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act, 1866, and accounting rules and procedures laid down by the Department of Finance. The appropriation account is a cash-based account providing details against the Estimate provision of actual payments made and receipts brought to account.
While the cash basis is consistent with existing statutory requirements, most Departments have since 1994 provided some information of an accruals nature with the main appropriation accounts. The former Department of Public Enterprise provided full accrual accounts. As the Deputy is aware, the Department no longer exists and my Department was formed out of part of that Department together with the Department of Marine and Natural Resources and the broadcasting division of the former Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.