Submissions to the Review Group on Auditors, recommended by the Public Accounts Committee in its DIRT Report, were due to be received by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment by close of business yesterday.

But a Department source said the deadline was not a strict one and submissions received in coming days would be accepted. Six submissions have been received so far and the Department has been notified that another nine submissions are "on the way".

So far, submissions have come from private individuals, accountancy practices and accounting bodies. The Institute of Chartered Accountants said yesterday that it was preparing its submission. A Department source said that it had formally drawn the attention of State agencies, such as the Revenue Commissioners, the Central Bank and the Department of Finance, to the review and invited them to make submissions.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, is expected to decide the composition of the group over the next two weeks. Expected to have 10 to 12 members, the group has a target date of May 31st for its report to the Oireachtas.

Representatives of the accountancy bodies, members of accountancy firms as well Department officials and officials from the Central Bank and the Revenue are likely to be appointed to the review group.

When it recommended the setting up of the review group, the PAC set out a detailed list of issues to be examined. These included whether accountancy firms appointed as external auditors should be allowed to provide other services to the same financial institution and how fees could be determined to recognise the importance of the audit process.

Other issues included possible over-dependence of auditors on a company management that in practice appoints and remunerates them, whether the balance of relationships between audit and other functions is properly reflected in legislation and the suitability of having joint auditors to financial institutions.