Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland
CPA Ireland, formerly the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland, is one of the main Irish accountancy bodies, with 5,000 members and students. The CPA designation is the most commonly used designation worldwide for professional accountants. One million qualified accountants worldwide are CPAs. CPA Ireland was founded in 1926 and its members work in accountancy firms, the public sector, the financial services, and other private sector businesses. CPA Ireland is a member of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies – Ireland, a founding member of the International Federation of Accountants, and a member of the Fédération des Experts Comptables Européens, the representative organisation for the profession in Europe. CPA Ireland headquarters are based in Dublin
History of CPA Ireland
CPA Ireland was founded as the Irish Association of Accountants on 11 March 1926 and then went on to join with the Irish Society of Public Accountants, originally incorporated 29 January 1943. This amalgamation, in 1964, blended the two bodies to become the CPA Ireland we have today. The first CPA exams for election to membership were held in November 1926 and CPA Ireland today represents 5000 members and students. In 1961 the Society of Public Accountants gained legal recognition and changed its name to The Irish Society of Certified Public Accountants Ltd; this was changed again in 1971 to The Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland. The institute was invited to join the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies – Ireland in 1991. CPA Ireland held merger discussions with the 20,000-member Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland in 2001 and again in 2003, but on both occasions the respective Councils of each body decided not to proceed to a vote of members on the issue.
Council of the institute
The council of the institute is made up of 16 elected members and up to three non-members, including the president and vice presidents of the institute. The council meets approximately eight times a year to set policy on areas like the regulation of members in the public interest, the growth and development of the institute and examination and training standards. The office-holders for 2019/2020 are:
Gearoid O'Driscoll
John Devaney
Aine Collins
Qualification
Students do not need a business or accountancy-related degree to become an accountant; CPA students include school-leavers, mature students and graduates. Previous qualifications may entitle students to exemptions. Students can choose between two flexible study options, either online or part time study to complete the CPA Qualification, and can choose to Study with either Griffith College or Study Online for their studies. There are four stages of examinations with the CPA Institute; Formation 1 and 2 and Professional 1 and 2. Students must complete three years of training to apply for membership of the CPA. Training can take place in practice, industry or both. Students may first study for the CPA exams and obtain the required training at a later date.
Practice
CPA Members who wish to engage in public practice must hold a practising certificate, which requires completion of a Practice Orientation Course and examination, and two years' experience in their intended practice area after admission to membership.
Audit
To be eligible to act as an auditor, CPA members must hold an audit certificate, requiring a practising certificate and an audit qualification. To obtain this, members must have three years' experience supervised by a registered auditor.
Role
As CPA Ireland is a recognised body, it has a statutory obligation to oversee the professional activities of its members in practice, ensuring that education and training standards are maintained. "The role of the institute is to:
regulate CPAs in accordance with the law and the institute's code of ethics in the public interest,
ensure that CPAs are constantly up to date in all matters relating to their professional work,
maintain the highest levels of educational standards for new entrants to the profession, and
represent the interests of our members where appropriate."
