Internal audit and audit committee : how do they coexist in government entities?

Abstract

The paper examines the contribution that a good relationship between the Internal Audit Function (IAF) and the Audit Committee (AC) makes in delivering a robust Corporate Governance (CG) structure within the public sector. The study delves into the level of interaction between Internal Audit (IA) and the AC and assesses the main factors affecting their relationship. Interviews were conducted with internal auditors and AC members from selected Maltese public sector entities. The findings indicate that the entities studied have a satisfactory level of IAF/AC interaction, with communication being the most prominent factor affecting the relationship.