Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland

History of CPA Ireland

The Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland was founded as the Irish Association of Accountants on 11th 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 2016/2017 are:

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 study at 16 approved educators around Ireland. There is no registration fee required and students can avail themselves of full-time, part-time, distance, weekend and e-learning options.

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 the institute 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:

Mutual recognition

CPA Ireland members work in over 40 countries. The institute has mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with CPA Australia, ICA India, ICA Bangladesh and CGA Canada, South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMA Pakistan)

The institute also has memorandums of understanding (MOU) with CPA Sri Lanka, CPA Bulgaria, CPA Russia and CPA Belarus

CPA Ireland also has Memorandums of Understanding with CPA Rwanda, CPA Zimbabwe and the Lithuanian Chamber of Auditors and is recognised as an approved body of auditors in New Zealand.

World Bank contracts

In 2011, CPA Ireland was awarded two World Bank contracts worth $1.5 million to develop the accountancy profession in Rwanda and Mozambique.