Brendan Kenneally (Fianna Fail)

I do not agree with Senator Quinn on this issue. As someone who worked as an accountant with a public limited company before becoming a Member of the Oireachtas, I do not think his proposal is practical. Financial accounts are produced on a monthly basis but producing the overall package at the end of the year is an extremely difficult process. In any organisation one is, first, working to deadlines internally and, second, producing for outside. Perhaps Superquinn can do it, but I believe that one month after the financial year has ended is not practical to get accounts ready for audit. I do not think that even three months is generous but at least there is a stipulation in relation to three months. Some companies, semi-State bodies and so on have been very lax in the past, therefore the three months stipulation is quite adequate.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section 30 agreed to.

SECTION 31.