AN Ardfert woman became the 4,000th member of Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland) at the Institute’s annual conferring ceremony, which took place in Croke Park this week.

Anne O’Sullivan, who currently works for Fexco, previously completed a BA and MA in economics in UCC and completed her CPA studies through Griffith College Dublin and Cork.

107 graduates received their qualifications this week, all of which are currently in employment. 30% of conferees are working in public practise, followed by 23% in the services sector and 12% working in retail and/or distribution. 69% of conferees are female, and with 29% of conferees calling it home, Cork is the most strongly represented county.

Speaking at the conferring ceremony, Mr. Brian Purcell, President, CPA Ireland said that the opportunities for graduate accountants have never been better.

“This is a great time to become a CPA accountant. You are entering the profession at a time of recovery in Ireland, a recovery which is firmly taking root. This brighter future brings opportunities and challenges; opportunities to expertly manage the finances of businesses and add strategic value and challenges to continuously adapt to new developments and areas of expertise” he said.