“THAT the profession of Public Accountants in Ireland is an important one, and their functions are of great and increasing importance” Royal Charter, 1888
On Thursday, 19 March we’ll celebrate the launch of Important Work: A History of Irish Chartered & Certified Public Accountants by Brenda Clerkin, Bríd Murphy, and Martin Quinn. Tracing the development of the profession from the late nineteenth century to today, the book explores its enduring impact on economic life, public trust, and social progress across the island of Ireland, and its publication marks the centenary of CPA Ireland.
Read the Foreword to the book by Institute President Pamela McCreedy, in which she commends how the authors capture how professional accountants are integral to the economies, institutions and societies on the island of Ireland.
FOREWORD
As president of Chartered Accountants Ireland, it is my honour to write the foreword to this new history of the Irish accountancy profession, published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the formation of CPA Ireland.
The book’s main title,
Important Work, reflects the words and intentions of the petitioners for the Royal Charter of 1888, by which the Institute and the Irish accountancy profession was established, that “the profession of Public Accountants in Ireland is an important one, and their functions are of great and increasing importance”.
Important Work also resonates with the truth that runs through every chapter of this book: professional accountants have been and continue to be integral to the economies, institutions and societies on the island of Ireland. In a century and a half of change – political, economic, technological and regulatory – accountants have consistently shaped the condi¬tions under which trust, transparency and public confidence can flourish. This book demonstrates not only
what accountants have done, but
why their contribution has always been, and continues to be, important work.
Beginning before the establishment of formal professional bodies, the book traces the evolution of accounting from its earliest manifestations in civic administration and industrial enterprise to the sophisticated, technology-enabled profession of today. Through periods of upheaval – war and revolution, partition, economic crises, globalisation, and most recently a worldwide pandemic – the Irish profession has consistently demonstrated resilience, adaptability and an unwavering commitment to the public interest. The stories of those who served during conflict, who guided businesses through volatility, or who modernised practice in the face of technological change are powerful reminders of the profession’s societal role.
The authors also tell the extraordinary story of transformation of accountants’ work – from manual ledger keeping and early audit practice to the era of data analytics, artificial intelligence and non-financial reporting. Their account is enriched by vivid examples from professional practice, industry and public service, illustrating how the profession has continu-ally adapted to changing needs, upholding its responsibilities as trusted advisors and business leaders.
Accountants steered organisations through the trade disruptions of the 1930s, embraced new theories, practices and strategies in the economic modernisation of the 1960s and 1970s, managed seismic transitions such as decimalisation, EU membership, the financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic. And the profession’s agility is particularly evident in its response to technological change.
The 2024 amalgamation of Chartered Accountants Ireland and CPA Ireland is one of the most significant milestones in the profession’s history on the island and is discussed here for the first time in its historical context. It represents not an end but a new beginning: the creation of a unified, future-focused profession equipped to meet the challenges of a volatile global environment with a shared purpose and continued commitment to the public interest.
To know where we are going, we must first understand where we came from, and this is one of the most valuable contributions of this history: it informs our thinking about the future of the profession. In the fifth and final chapter, we are grateful to the authors for helping us on our way. Their account of the future is informed by a powerful idea: the work of accountants has never been more vital, and its importance will only grow. In a world defined by volatility, complexity and profound technological disruption, accountants stand as trusted business leaders – professionals whose judgement, integrity and adaptability will determine the resilience of organisations and economies. Accountants are uniquely trained, skilled and experienced to help organisations make sense of uncertainty, allocate resources wisely and uphold trust at a time when trust is scarce. Important work, indeed.
Pamela McCreedy, FCA FCPA
President, Chartered Accountants Ireland
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