John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I am very conscious that the new charities regulatory authority will face significant challenges. In addition to its broad regulatory and supportive role, the new authority will also be taking on the complex functions of the Office of Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland, which is to be dissolved. For this reason the new authority must be able to draw on a wide range of expertise and experience. In view, therefore, of the complex work that will be undertaken by the new authority, on the basis of the advice of the Attorney General, it is proposed to increase the maximum potential membership of the authority to 20.

Amendment No. 75 is intended to ensure that the authority will have available the diverse range of skills necessary to enable it to undertake its broad remit efficiently and effectively. This will also facilitate the authority in forming committees to which specified decision making may be delegated as the Bill provides.

On a related matter in the context of the membership of the authority, the issue of the exclusion of public representatives, and specifically members of local authorities, from the board of the new authority was raised in the Seanad debates. I suppose Deputy Ring is not surprised the Senators raised that particular matter.

However, I seriously reflected on the issue and I can acknowledge the point that people who serve as local authority representatives may well have the skills and experience which could enhance the work of the board of the new authority. Accordingly, I made those changes on Report Stage in the Seanad and amendments Nos. 76 to 83, inclusive, collectively remove the automatic exclusion of members of the local authorities from membership of the authority in paragraph 8 of Schedule 1 and in consequential paragraphs. Of course this does not actually mean that councillors will be appointed to the board of the new authority but it will make councillors, with the relevant experience and interest who may have much to offer the new authority, eligible for appointment.

I commend these amendments to the House.

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