Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Some 12 months ago the Minister visited Cork and, for our sins, we put on football boots and socks and ended up playing a charity match for a worthwhile organisation that was just getting off the ground. It was trying to help families who had lost loved ones through suicide. That effort is being replicated across the State and there is not one Deputy or member of the public who has not contributed to a charity of some sort. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn put it well when he said that, by our nature, Irish people are charitable. We do so without a grumble and because we recognise, despite any hardship we are going through, that there are others who are worse off and in greater need of finance, support or resources to help them to have a better quality of life.

There is no Deputy or member of the public who has not been touched by a charitable organisation in a personal capacity. When my father was dying of motor neurone disease, the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association provided help and support for our family that was second to none. Organisations cannot provide that service or show compassion for families such as mine without the Minister, Deputies and members of the public dipping their hands into their pockets and handing over hard-earned cash.

The recent scandal involving the Central Remedial Clinic, CRC, has rocked the confidence of many people. I am very confident that this will not stop people from giving to charities, nor should it, as we cannot allow the greed of the few inflict on the very many in need of those charities. That would be unfair, as people in society will recognise as they continue to contribute to charities. Nevertheless, damage has been doubtlessly been done to confidence in some areas, as there cannot be a scandal like this without people's confidence being affected.

There is probably a sense of envy among Opposition Deputies when they see a Minister like Deputy Shatter who has the power to enact the very measures needed to restore public confidence to a sector which not only relies on but thrives on public confidence. We welcome the Minister's announcement to set up the regulatory authority by Easter but measures must go beyond that, and the Minister seems to recognise that. I followed some of the speeches given by the Minister since taking office at the Department of Justice and Equality, and in 2011 he stated that although there was some regulation with regard to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, taking in the charitable sector, without doubt the ideal solution was to enact all aspects of the Charities Act 2009; that must happen now.

At the beginning of 2014, there is probably more pressure on charities to provide services as we are coming off the back of an economic recession. I will not play politics with the issue but because of the economic position we were in, there have been cutbacks in areas such as community groups, support services and all spheres of Irish society. As a result, more people have been forced to turn to charities. In my constituency and probably in others, local welfare officers are now directing people wishing to avail of Department of Social Protection services to organisations such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The Minister has it within his gift - he can do it at the stroke of a pen - to restore public confidence in the area, which is needed now more than ever. I hope he will support Deputy Mac Lochlainn's Bill and that we can work together to restore public confidence and ensure that those people who rely on charities can get the support they need.

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