The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) is the largest and oldest accountancy body in Ireland. It has over 15,000 members, and it is the leading voice of the accountancy profession in Ireland. The Institute is governed by a Council and it is responsible for determining policy and monitoring its implementation. In order to be eligible for admission to associate membership of the Institute, as a Chartered Accountant, ICAI students must pass the ICAI exams and Personal Computing for Accountants (PCA) assessment test as well as serve their  training contract in full and submit the appropriate Record of Experience/ CA Diary of Professional Development. The extensive range of services provided for members covers everything from publications and practical support to networking events, careers and placements and members benefit schemes. It provides a range of training and educational courses and those for 2007-2008 are: CA Proficiency 1; Professional 3; and the Final Admitting Exam (FAE). These courses can be taken at the following centres: Athlone, Belfast, Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Sligo, and through e-Learning. The Institute offers grants for accountancy related research through the Irish Accountancy Educational Trust. For more details on any of this information visit www.icai.ie.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
ACCA is the world’s largest and fastest-growing global professional accountancy body. Founded over 100 years ago, and with students and members in 170 countries worldwide, it boasts an unrivalled global network of offices, learning providers, examination centres and employers. Members benefit from a range of first-class facilities and resources as well as the advantage of being associated with ACCA’s global partnership with the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). According to its website, every 8 minutes, somewhere in the world, somebody registers with ACCA. The Irish-specific part of the website can be found at http://ireland.accaglobal.com, where you can find details regarding the resources provided for ACCA approved employers in Ireland; the Accountants Salary Guide 2007 and a wealth of other useful information.

Certified Public Accountants (CPA)
CPA is a renowned educational and representative body for more than 5000 members and students. Boasting global recognition, members work in more than 28 countries worldwide. It was one of the founding members of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), which is the worldwide body. In addition, CPA is also a member of the Federation des Experts Comptables Europeens (FEE), the representative body for the main accountancy bodies in 25 European countries. Membership benefits include international recognition, discussion forum, technical support, exclusive offers and discounts, monthly e-Bulletins and quarterly publications. For more information log onto www.cpaireland.ie.

The Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI) is the leading accounting technician body in Ireland. Established in 1983, it provides an accounting technician qualification of recognised international standard. The institution is a partner body of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) and is an associate member of the International Federation of Accountants. To download a copy of the 2008 syllabus – or to apply for membership – click on www.iati.ie.

The Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants (IIPA) was founded in 1981 and is one of Ireland’s six recognised Professional Accountancy Bodies. It caters specifically for the needs of small to medium-sized enterprises providing expertise in auditing, accounting, financial and business support. Further information is available at www.iipa.ie.

Useful Links:
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Certified Public Accountants (CPA)
Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI)
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI)
Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants (IIPA)