Published Accounts Award for ESB

At a recent ceremony hosted by the Leinster Society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, the 2004 Annual Report and Accounts of ESB won first place in the category for statutory and unquoted large entities. This is the fourth year in a row that ESB has won this award. Other companies nominated in the category were Airtrcity, Bord na Mona, Progressive Building Society, RTE and VHI.

Speaking at the presentation of the Awards, the chairman of the Leinster Society, Mr Lorcan Colclough, said: "Now in their 28th year, the Published Accounts Awards continue to set the benchmark for measuring standards of financial reporting contained in the annual reports of Irish companies. We are delighted with the strength and quality of this year's entries, which once again demonstrate the importance that many Irish organisations attach to attaining best practice in publishing annual reports and accounts. With the renewed focus on corporate governance and accountability, shareholders and potential investors are becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to the provision of financial and statutory information."