§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the auditors of the Local Government Board of England are paid by the local bodies for the work they do on a fixed scale of moderate charges; whether the auditors in Ireland have fixed salaries; whether he can state how the fees paid by local bodies are accounted for; whether in Scotland the Local Government Board appoints registered accountants for auditing; whether he will cause the practice in Ireland to be assimilated with that of either England or Scotland; and whether he will arrange that the Local 1000 Government Board auditors in Ireland shall confine themselves simply to the duty of auditing.
(Answered by Mr. Birrel.) Local Government Board auditors are paid by salary in England and Ireland alike, but the Irish scale of salaries is lower than the English. The audit fees paid by local bodies in Ireland are appropriated in aid of the Parliamentary Vote of the Local Government Board. In Scotland the Local Government Board appoints registered accountants for auditing. The practice in Ireland is similar to that which obtains in England, and is considered more suitable to the circumstance of Ireland than the Scottish practice. Moreover, any change in this regard would require legislation. The duties of auditors in Ireland are prescribed by statute, and include reporting on the financial administration of the local authorities, as well as vouching the correctness of the accounts.