Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This Government is actually implementing the Charities Act and establishing a charities regulatory authority, precisely so public confidence in charitable organisations can be assured. In December, the Minister for Justice and Equality got sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to proceed with the filling of the post of CEO of the new charities regulatory authority and a number of other administrative posts from within existing resources by the end of February. The Minister is issuing a call for expressions of interest from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for appointment with a view to having these positions filled by Easter. This will enable the authority to proceed with the preparatory work necessary ahead of its formal establishment by ministerial order later in the year. The focus of the new authority in its early phase of operation will be on the preparation of a statutory register of charities for publication.

This move represents an important part of the work we are doing in government to rebuild trust and confidence in our charity sector. The charity sector can show leadership in this area through demonstrating good governance and transparency in their own operations. It is important we underline again the good work charitable organisations are doing. It is important that the public can have confidence that when they make a donation to a charitable organisation it is going for the purpose for which it is made and is going into the services. That is why we will have a regulatory system and authority for charities in place. It is the intention that the key posts will be filled by the end of February and that the authority will be in place by Easter. That work is proceeding and there will be a regulatory regime.

I am in favour of transparency. I am in favour of organisations making known in their accounts the salaries they pay to their CEOs. I see no reason salaries paid to senior people in charitable organisations or other bodies should not be made available by way of public information.

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