UK accounting watchdog to investigate conduct at RSA Insurance Ireland

LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - Britain's accounting watchdog said it will investigate the conduct of some accountants involved with RSA Insurance Ireland, which had to be bailed out by its British parent RSA.

The Financial Reporting Council said it would investigate the conduct of certain individuals in connection with "financial irregularities" at the Irish division.

The investigation will cover 2012 "and relevant prior periods as a result of the identification of issues within the claims and accounting functions announced by RSA Insurance Group plc at the end of 2013," the FRC said in a statement.

RSA has blamed a handful of executives at the Irish division for accounting irregularities that led to the group to overstating its profits in Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) and required it to tap shareholders for cash to plug the hole in its finances.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; editing by Jason Neely)