Interim charities regulator move a ‘breakthrough’

The Government’s decision to appoint an interim charities regulator by the end of next month was last night hailed as a “breakthrough” by a group representing over 900 charitable organisations in Ireland.

In the the wake of the damning CRC secret pay-out revelations Justice Minister Alan Shatter said he would appoint an interim CEO of the new Charities Regulatory Authority by the end of February.

The Wheel group said the announcement marked the beginning of a process to formally establish the office of the charities regulator and was an important milestone towards comprehensive regulation for the sector.

Chief executive Deirdre Garvey said Irish charities had been calling for statutory regulation for the past 15 years and were dismayed when the 2009 Charities Act was delayed.

Ms Garvey said the charity sector had been working hard at developing guiding principles “but no amount of voluntary effort can make up for the absence of an independent regulator.”

Justice Minister Alan Shatter announced advertisements would be placed next week seeking applications for positions on the new Charities Regulatory Authority and the board would be in place by April 20.

The authority will have the task of governing almost 8,000 registered charities in Ireland. Provision for its establishment was made in early 2009 when the Charities Act was passed through the Oireachtas but it wasn’t enacted because of the cost of setting the office up.

Mr Shatter referred to the recent scandals in the sector saying: “The recent revelations about certain organisations in the charitable sector have understandably damaged public trust and confidence.

“The commencement of the key measures in the Charities Act will provide the increased transparency and accountability that will allow this trust to be rebuilt.”