Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Michael McGrath is also an accountant. It is important that on a five-year basis, the firm that audits an enterprise, regardless of whether it is a voluntary enterprise, PLC or private limited company, brings fresh eyes, thinking and standards. In respect of the permanent audit file to which Mr. Morris referred and which documents the systems, the patient's file can travel from one hospital to another hospital to do the update review. As a professional, I do not think it prohibitive that those permanent records of the internal workings of a company or organisation can travel. They might be better understood by a fresh pair of eyes or brain. I do not think it sufficient that a partner in a firm rotates with another partner because, essentially, the partners have the same financial interests in the fee and the standard of the work. It is a more courageous challenge for the profession to welcome the opportunity to rotate as between firms the work done as audit work for credit unions and other companies as well. The travel costs incurred in carrying out the work because the person might be at a greater distance than heretofore, which were referred to by Deputy Pearse Doherty, will all balance out if the firm in town A does an audit of a credit union in town B and then after five years, there is a flow of the work as between firms and credit unions. It will perhaps lead to fresher thinking and work and crisper, al dente audits rather soggy ones. It is only a thought.