Annual Report 2007

Financial Statements

 

Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for presentation to the Houses of the Oireachtas

I have audited the financial statements of the Industrial Development Agency for the year ended 31 December 2007 under the Industrial Development Act, 1993.

The financial statements, which have been prepared under the accounting policies set out therein, comprise the Accounting Policies, the Operating Account, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and the related notes.

Respective Responsibilities of the Board of the Agency and the Comptroller and A uditor General

The Agency is responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with the Industrial Development Act, 1993, and for ensuring the regularity of transactions. The Agency prepares the financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland. The accounting responsibilities of the Members of the Agency are set out in the Statement of Board Members' Responsibilities.

My responsibility is to audit the financial statements in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland).

I report my opinion as to whether the financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland. I also report whether in my opinion proper books of account have been kept. In addition, I state whether the financial statements are in agreement with the books of account.

I report any material instance where moneys have not been applied for the purposes intended or where the transactions do not conform to the authorities governing them.

I also report if I have not obtained all the information and explanations necessary for the purposes of my audit.

I review whether the Statement on Internal Financial Control reflects the Agency’s compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and report any material instance where it does not do so, or if the statement is misleading or inconsistent with other information of which I am aware from my audit of the financial statements. I am not required to consider whether the Statement on Internal Financial Control covers all financial risks and controls, or to form an opinion on the effectiveness of the risk and control procedures.

I read other information contained in the Annual Report, and consider whether it is consistent with the audited financial statements. I consider the implications for my report if I become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the financial statements.

Basis of A udit Opinion

In the exercise of my function as Comptroller and Auditor General, I conducted my audit of the financial statements in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) issued by the Auditing Practices Board and by reference to the special considerations which attach to State bodies in relation to their management and operation. An audit includes examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures and regularity of the financial transactions included in the financial statements. It also includes an assessment of the significant estimates and judgments made in the preparation of the financial statements, and of whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the Agency’s circumstances, consistently applied and adequately disclosed.

I planned and performed my audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations that I considered necessary in order to provide me with sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or error. In forming my opinion I also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements.

Opinion

In my opinion, the financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in Ireland, of the state of the Agency's affairs at 31 December 2007 and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended.

In my opinion, proper books of account have been kept by the Industrial Development Agency. The financial statements are in agreement with the books of account.

John Buckley
Comptroller and Auditor General
11 June 2008

 

Statement of Board Members' Responsibilities

The Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Ireland was established on 1 January 1994 as an agency of Forfás (the policy and advisory board for industrial development in Ireland) under the provisions of the Industrial Development Act, 1993.

Paragraph 7(2) of the First Schedule to the Industrial Development Act, 1993 requires the Agency to keep, in such form as may be approved of by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment with the consent of the Minister for Finance, all proper and usual accounts of money received and expended by it. In preparing those accounts, the Board is required to:

The Board is responsible for keeping proper books of account which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Agency and which enables it to ensure that the Financial Statements comply with Paragraph 7(2) of the First Schedule to the Industrial Development Act, 1993. The Board is also responsible for safeguarding all the assets of the Agency and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

 

Statement on the System of Internal Financial Control

On behalf of the Board of IDA, I acknowledge our responsibility for ensuring that an effective system of internal financial control is maintained and operated by the Agency.

The system can only provide reasonable and not absolute assurance that assets are safeguarded, transactions authorised and properly recorded, and that material errors or irregularities are either prevented or would be detected in a timely period.

The Board has taken steps to ensure an appropriate control environment is in place by:

The Board has also established processes to identify and evaluate business risks. This is achieved in a number of ways including:

The system of internal financial control is based on a framework of regular management information, and administrative procedures including segregation of duties, and a system of delegation and accountability.

In particular it includes:

The IDA has an internal audit department, which reports directly to the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board. This Committee meets on at least a quarterly basis to review reports prepared by Internal Audit and other departments. The Audit and Finance Committee in turn keeps the Board informed of the matters that it has considered.

The internal audit function operates in accordance with the Framework Code of Best Practice set out in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. A rolling three-year Internal Audit work plan is determined by the Audit and Finance Committee and revised annually where required. The current work plan takes account of areas of potential risk identified in a risk assessment exercise carried out by management and reviewed by the Audit and Finance Committee and the Board. The Internal Auditor provides the Committee with quarterly reports on assignments carried out. These reports highlight deficiencies or weaknesses, if any, in the system of internal financial control and the recommended corrective measures to be taken where necessary.

The Board's monitoring and review of the effectiveness of the system of internal financial control is informed by the work of the Internal Auditor, the Audit and Finance Committee, which oversees the work of the Internal Auditor, and the executive managers within IDA Ireland who have responsibility for the development and maintenance of the financial control framework.

I confirm that, in respect of the year ended 31 December 2007, the Board conducted a review of the system of internal financial controls.

Signed on behalf of the Board:

John Dunne
Chairman
9th April 2008

 

Accounting Policies

(1) Basis of Accounting

(2) Income recognition

Income from Oireachtas grants, grant refunds, the National Training Fund, investments, the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, save as referred to in (5) below, represent actual cash received.

(3) Industrial Property

Industrial Property included in tangible fixed assets has been acquired, developed or constructed for the purposes of assisting in the promotion and development of industry and is not considered to be investment property but normal fixed assets.

(4) Carrying Amounts, Depreciation and Provisions for Impairment

(5) Deferred Income

European Regional Development Fund grants received in respect of the purchase or development of fixed assets are treated as a deferred credit and are amortised to the Operating Account annually over the useful economic life of the assets to which they relate.

(6) Accounting for Bad and Doubtful Debts

Known bad debts are written off and specific provision is made for any amount - the collection of which is considered doubtful.

(7) Accounting for Investments

The IDA Financial Statements do not reflect a consolidation of the results of the investee companies because IDA activities are so different from those of the investee companies that such consolidation would be incompatible with the obligation to give a true and fair view.

(8) Grants Payable

Grants are accrued in the Financial Statements when the grantee complies with stipulated conditions.

(9) Foreign Currencies

Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rates ruling at the Balance Sheet date. Revenues and costs are translated at the exchange rates ruling at the dates of the underlying transactions. Profits and losses arising from foreign currency translations and on settlement of amounts receivable and payable in foreign currency are dealt with in the Operating Account.

(10) Operating Leases

The rentals under operating leases are dealt with in the Financial Statements as they fall due.

(11) Capital

Capital represents funds utilised for the acquisition and development of industrial property, the acquisition of other fixed assets, telecommunication assets and investments taking account of disposals, depreciation charges and, where applicable, provisions for impairment in the carrying amounts.

(12) Superannuation

All IDA staff are employees of Forfás and are seconded to the Agency by Forfás. Legislation requires Forfás to prepare and administer pension schemes for the granting of pension entitlements to its staff including staff seconded to IDA. Forfás is also responsible for pension reporting requirements, including those set out under FRS 17. Voluntary early retirement costs paid directly by IDA and all pension contributions deducted from staff are accounted for in the Operating Account in the period in which they arise.

 

Operating Account for Year Ended 31st December 2007
  Notes 2007
€'000
2006
€'000
Income
Oireachtas Grants 1 124623 131218
National Training Fund 2 1034 1269
EU - INTERREG 111A Programme 3 670 132
EU & Excheuer Co-Funded Research Technology and Innovation (RTI) for Industry Programme 4 (a) 3430 4296
ESF Receipts 4 (b) - 3961
Grant Refunds   14572 10776
Rental Income   2374 3220
Less Rental Income Received from Enterprise Ireland Client Companies 5 (a) -95 -72
Other Income 6 2762 1497
Profit on Disposal of Assets 7 33818 61089
    183188 217386
       
Expenditure
Grants Payable 8 78518 96687
"Promotion, Administration and General Expenses 9 (a) 45808 40121
Industrial Building Charges 10 15552 11833
Depreciation Charges 11 18431 16970
    158309 165611
       
Net Operating Surplus for Year   24879 51775
Contribution to the Exchequer 12 -12486 -6731
Balance at 1 January   26524 35990
Transfer to Capital 13 -35556 -54510
Balance at end of Year   3361 26524

Amounts shown under Income and Expenditure are in respect of continuing activities.

There are no recognised gains or losses, other than those dealt with in the Operating Account.

The Basis of Accounting, Accounting Policies, Cash Flow Statement and Notes 1 to 25 form part of these Financial Statements.

 

On behald of the Board:
John Dunne Barry O'Leary Loreta Brennan Glucksman
Chairman Chief Executive Chairman, Audit and Finance Committee

 

Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2007
  Notes 2007
€'000
2006
€'000
Tangible Fixed Assets
Industrial Property 14 343783 307768
Other Fixed Assets 15 1427 1193
    345210 308961
       
Intangible Assets and Investments
Telecommunication Assets 16 - 693
Investments 17 - -
Total Tangible and Intangile Assets and Investments   345210 309654
       
Current Assets
Accounts Receivable 18 14798 9437
Cash at Bank and on hand   69078 93758
    83876 103195
       
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable 19 79353 75743
Net Current Assets   4523 27452
       
Long Term Receivables
Accounts Receivable: amounts falling due after more than one year 18 772 1676
       
Deferred Income
EU INTERREG 111A Programme 3 1934 2604
Net Assets   348571 336178
       
Representing:
Capital 13 345210 309654
Operating Account   3361 26524
    348571 336178

The Basis of Accounting, Accounting Policies, Cash Flow Statement and Notes 1 to 25 form part of these Financial Statements.

 

On behald of the Board:
John Dunne Barry O'Leary Loreta Brennan Glucksman
Chairman Chief Executive Chairman, Audit and Finance Committee

 

Cash Flow Statement For Year Ended 31st December 2007
  Notes 2007
€'000
2006
€'000
Reconciliation of Net Operating Surplus to Net Cash Inflow from Operating Activites
Net Operating Surplus for Year   24879 51775
Depreciation Charges:      
    Industrial Property 11 17050 15583
    Other Fixed Assets & Telecommunication Assets 11 1381 1387
EU-INTERREG 111A Programme Grant Amortised 3 -670 -132
Expenditure Capitalised 9 (a) -589 -235
Profit on Disposal of Assets 7 -33818 -61089
Bank Interest 6 -2215 -967
(Increase)/Decrease in Accounts Receivable amounts falling due within one year   -5361 30764
Increase in Accounts Payable   3610 58807
Decrease in Accounts Receivable amounts falling due after more than one year   904 113
Net Cash Inflow from Operating Activities   5171 96006
       
CASH FLOW STATEMENT
Net Cash Inflow from Operating Activities   5171 96006
Contribution to the Exchequer 12 -12486 -6731
Returns on Investments and Servicing of Finance 23 (a) 2215 967
Capital Expenditure and Financial Investment      
    Acquisitions 23 (b) -59649 -86782
    Disposals 23 © 40069 76626
Management of Liquid Resources      
(Increase) in Short-Term Deposits 23 (d) -26526 -20474
(Decrease)/Increase in cash for the period   -51206 59612
       
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in the net funds
(Decrease)/Increase in cash for the period   -51206 59612
Increase in Liquid Resources 23 (d) 26526 20474
       
Movement in net funds in the period   -24680 80086
Net funds at 1 January 23 (d) 93758 13672
Net funds at 31 December   69078 93758

 

On behald of the Board:
John Dunne Barry O'Leary Loreta Brennan Glucksman
Chairman Chief Executive Chairman, Audit and Finance Committee