John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 101:

In page 65, to delete lines 24 and 25 and substitute the following:

"2. (1) The Authority shall consist of not less than 9 and not greater than 15 members, of whom not less than 3 shall be persons, each of whom—".

In discussions with my legal advisers, it was recognised that the new authority will have a considerable and varied workload, including the functions of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests, as well as having a broad regulatory role in the sector. A wide range of professional expertise will be required from members.

While there is provision for the authority to delegate certain functions to committees, it would be of practical assistance to the authority to increase the maximum membership, allowing for greater potential for delegation of functions to committees. The intention of Deputy Wall's amendment No. 102 is to ensure the involvement of grass roots charity workers in the sector's regulation. However, I do not wish to be too specific about the status of the person from the sector, thereby allowing for flexibility in selecting the most suitable candidate. For example, a former charity employee might have relevant experience and opinions. There is also the danger that one representative of the charities might become not just the minimum requirement, but also the maximum.

It is intended that the authority will have a broad range of skills and expertise necessary to carry out its full range of functions. The provision in the Bill for the appointment of members with knowledge of the management of charitable organisations is sufficient. Therefore, I will not accept amendment No. 102.

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