Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Again it is difficult for me to comment without knowing the details of the case but I fully back the Deputy's sentiments on the need for people to have trust in charities. The regulator was established in 2014 and it has been growing its capacity ever since. This will be the first year it will have a full staff complement so it is moving in the right direction. That said, we are proposing changes to the law that frames the regulator. The proposed Bill intends to provide clarity in a number of areas, including accounting, audit and reporting requirements; the responsibilities of trustees; the operation of the register of charities; and other provisions, including sharing of information, sanctions, trustee remuneration and disposal of assets. Registered charities which are also companies are not legally required to submit an annual statement of accounts to the regulator but we are putting forward amendments to rectify this situation. That will significantly improve the levels of transparency and trust in charities more broadly.

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