Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which an external audit has taken place in An Post or is so intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3618/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which an external audit has taken place in An Post or is so intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3955/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 292 together.

Section 32 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 provides that An Post is required to keep a set of accounts, including a profit and loss account and balance sheet, and also requires that the accounts are to be audited annually. After submission to Cabinet, the An Post annual accounts are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

In practice, the An Post accounts are audited on an annual basis by a firm of outside accountants. The accountants have confirmed that the 2003 accounts for the company have been prepared, by the An Post directors, in accordance with applicable Irish law and accounting standards and provide a true and fair view of the company at 31 December 2003.