Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As this is a recommittal, I will not make a long speech. There has been media publicity on this matter and people have concerns. I hope all genuine charities will be transferred. Will the Revenue and the Minister of State's Department keep in constant contact? There have been newspaper articles detailing how some charities were using their status to avoid tax. I know the Revenue Commissioners had an investigation into this because I raised the matter during priority question time. Has the Revenue Commissioners completed the investigation and has anybody been found to be using charitable status to avoid tax?

I am concerned about the matter but I would also like to see genuine charities put on the register. They have already dealt with the Revenue and have tax clearance certificates. It should be a straight move to the register. At the same time I hope the Minister of State's Department, along with the Revenue, will investigate if people are using charitable organisations in a bogus way or using such bodies to avoid tax. I hope the Department will keep in constant contact with the Revenue Commissioners, who should be sure charities are above board. If they are not, the charities should be dealt with by the law and the Revenue Commissioners.

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