Payments company reports full-year loss ahead of merger

44% spending increase sends IPSO into red as merger with IBF begins

Work on the merger has been under way for some months with the new body led by IBF chief executive Noel Brett. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / THE IRISH TIMES
Work on the merger has been under way for some months with the new body led by IBF chief executive Noel Brett. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / THE IRISH TIMES

The Irish Payments Services Organisation (IPSO) slipped into the red in what is set to be its final full year as a standalone body.

IPSO recorded a deficit of €117,442 for the 12 months to the end of November 2013 compared with a surplus of €31,918 in the previous year.

The organisation will be formally merged this week with the Irish Banking Federation (IBF) into a new body, the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland.

Work on the merger has been under way for a number of months with the new body led by IBF chief executive Noel Brett. The bodies share office space on Nassau Street in Dublin.

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IPSO posted a 30 per cent rise in income last year to just under €1.6 million but its expenditure increased by almost 44 per cent to €1.7 million. Its costs last year included €466,275 spent on “special projects”.

The organisation closed the year with reserves of €403,674, down from €521,116 in the previous reporting period.

Payroll costs for its nine management and staff amounted to €813,280 last year. This compared with €788,465 for the seven management and staff in 2012. The payroll costs last year included director’s remuneration of €176,382.

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times