Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have no information on any dealings Rehab Group had with any individual. My only engagements with the man the Deputy mentioned have been purely political in terms of elections and constituencies. That is why we are introducing legislation on freedom of information, whistleblowers and lobbyists. It is only right and proper that there be full accountability and transparency about these matters. I have no information on whether organisations were paying personnel to meet people with political responsibility. For a very long time my belief has been that anybody involved with a section 38 or section 39 organisation should appear before the Committee of Public Accounts, as that would be in the interests of charities. We have already agreed that when people make donations to their charity of choice, they need to feel happy that all of that money will go for the purposes for which it is intended. That is why the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, has introduced a regulator which will change the nature of the perception of charities for the good of everybody. When the regulator is in situ, auditing the accounts of charities, people will know everything is as it should be.

My view for a long time has been that everybody associated with section 39 organisations should of course be prepared to go before the Committee of Public Accounts and deal with any questions that may arise.

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