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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Accounting Procedures.

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

842 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department's annual accounts are currently done on a full accrual accounting system; and if not, if there is a timescale for the full implementation of such an accounting method. [17369/02]

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.

My Department provides information on closing accruals in the accounts and includes, in the notes to the accounts, a statement of current assets and liabilities, the global figure for commitments and a statement of capital assets. The management information framework, which will underpin enhanced financial management resource allocation and outputs and performance measurement, will, among other benefits, capture data on an accruals basis and facilitate full accruals reporting. My Department is working to implement the MIF in full as quickly as possible.
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