The Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1999, provides that the Central Fisheries Board shall submit draft annual accounts to the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) and that the Board is then obliged to submit to the Minister, as soon as may be but not later than one month after an audit by the C&AG, a copy of its annual accounts, together with the report of the C&AG.
I understand the Comptroller and Auditor General is finalising his consideration of the Board's 2008 accounts and that it is expected the accounts will be signed off in the coming weeks, and forwarded to me thereafter. It is my intention that, on receipt of the audited accounts and report, copies of both will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas at the earliest possible opportunity.