Held to account

ISN’T it marvellous?

I have no accountancy qualification, so if I purported to audit the accounts of the smallest firm the Companies Office would throw it back at me.

Even if a friend of mine, who has a qualification but is not a chartered accountant, did an audit it would also be thrown back at him.

But the European Court of Auditors, in effect, audits the accounts of the entire EU to see that taxpayers’ money is being used efficiently and correctly, yet few, if any, of its members have any relevant qualifications. Still, it should be easy to replace Maire Geoghegan Quinn. Even if we cap the salary at €500,000 there are plenty of equally well qualified people willing to take the job. Watch this space.

Brendan Casserly

Abbeybridge

Waterfall

Co Cork