Irish Church of Scientology records a profit of €48k

Irish Examiner/April 15, 2017

By Gordon Deegan

New accounts show that the Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd recorded a profit of €48,803 and this followed the Church firm recording a loss of €19 in 2015.

The global church counts movie stars, Tom Cruise and John Travolta as some of its best-known members and the Irish church was previously bailed out to the tune of €326,875 when a loan provided to the Church of Scientology here was forgiven by Churches of Scientology overseas.

The church’s accumulated loss from over the years at the end of April last stood at €152,716 and the church’s long-standing deficit is understood to relate to a long-running High Court action from 2003 taken against the church by former member, Mary Johnston.

The case was settled out of court on undisclosed terms after 31 days of evidence.

In the 12 months to the end of April 30 last, the Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd revenues decreased by 7% going from €86,716 to €80,390.

The revenue was made up of ‘Scientology and Dianetics services’ The church’s revenues however, remain a long way off from the €484,070 of 2008.

A note attached to the accounts states that there is no significant uncertainty as to whether the company will be able to discharge its current liabilities as they fall due in the future and that it was appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting.

Auditors for the Church, Kilcoyne and Co Accountants state that “you consider that the Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year”.

They state that they have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the financial statements of Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd.

The directors of the company are listed as the non-executive director of the Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin, Gerard Ryan and Siobhán Ryan.

The Irish branch is part of a global movement established by deceased US author, L Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology states that its purpose is to transform individual lives and the world, postulating that every person is a Thetan — an immortal spiritual being that lives through countless lifetimes.

Scientologists believe that Hubbard discovered the fundamental truths of existence and they revere him as the source of the religion.