Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I agree with the thrust of the amendment. A charitable trust is established for charitable purposes and I support the argument that a trust should not be established specifically to enjoy the advantages which other charities enjoy. A new charitable trust should not be set up to promote human rights or deal with a situation where it seeks to highlight the abuse of human rights in a particular area. For example, let us consider the most recent outrage. If I wish to set up a charitable trust tomorrow to examine human rights breaches in Gaza, I should not gain the benefits which are allowed to a charitable trust.

The Minister of State may have been correct in his remarks dealing with other amendments to the effect that the legislation will not adversely affect existing charities. However, this provision will prevent the establishment in future of charities or charitable trusts dealing exclusively with human rights. Some may seek to by-pass that provision. If an organisation seeks charitable status or to be accepted as a charitable trust, it must fall within the four points in the legislation. It could cloud its true intentions and this is not the purpose of the legislation. When first drafted, the legislation intended to cover the organisations which are truly charitable and which have no intention to make a profit. The legislation is welcome. Ireland has a great standing internationally in terms of the money raised here for those purposes. Those funds have been very welcome in areas of dire straits throughout the world. However, even within Ireland the people are willing to donate money to a charity. The purpose of the legislation is to ensure that process is properly regulated and I welcome it for this reason. There is an opportunity for the Minister of State, within the confines of the amendments before us, to address the points made in the discussion on the last section.

See this speech in context