Results 1,081-1,100 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I agree it is important we have reporting and I suppose it is important the reporting is proportionate to the type and scale of the operation of the charity. It is a point Senator Buttimer made previously and I want to reiterate it because it is very important. We are regulating an area that has been largely unregulated. The role of the new authority, apart from being a regulatory...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Amendment No. 50 corrects a cross-reference within the section. Amendments Nos. 51 and 52 update a legal reference to the Pensions Act and the Unfair Dismissals Act, respectively. Amendment No. 69 updates a reference to a section number of the Charities Act.
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Amendments Nos. 52, 53, 54, 57, 58 and 59 are redrafting amendments concerned with offences under the legislation of charity trustees and charitable organisations, and also with the power of the authority to require charitable organisations to produce relevant documents. Amendments Nos. 52 to 54, inclusive, are drafting and presentational amendments to section 57(1), consequential upon each...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: This is a drafting amendment which clarifies that the section applies to a direction given by the authority under 51(2), unlike the other sections referred to, which make no provision for the authority to give a direction.
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Amendments Nos. 63 to 66, inclusive, are redrafting and technical amendments consequential upon each other. They are being made on the basis of legal advice, particularly in the context where begging or receiving alms is no longer an unlawful activity following a legal challenge.
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I consider it key to this legislation that organisations which are not charitable in nature should be prevented from presenting themselves to the public as charitable. I want to be sure that donors to charity can be confident that the money they intend to go for the benefit of good causes is not diverted into commercial businesses or worse. In this context, I am aware of the concern...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I thank the Senators for their contributions. Senator Mullen outlined the nature of the problem adequately. As Senator Bradford stated, the problem has been identified for a long time and I have been conscious of it since assuming my position. That we have only been able to introduce a provision at a late stage despite my willingness to address it shows the complexity of the problem. While...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The new charities regulatory authority will face a significant challenge. In addition to its wide-ranging regulatory and supportive role, the new authority will be taking on also the complex functions of the Office of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland, which is to be dissolved. For this reason, the new authority will need to be able to draw on a wide range...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I thank Senator Leyden for his comments.
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I must inform Senator Buttimer that what other Ministers do in respect of legislation relating to this matter in the future will be their responsibility. I dealt with the matter before us because it was raised by him and Senator Leyden. When I considered the position, I could find no good reason as to why public representatives should be excluded. It was suggested that there should be an...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The House has spent two long days dealing with the Committee and Report Stages of the Bill. I thank Senators for their contributions, both in the House and outside â where they might advise others â in respect of it. Our remit was to develop legislation to reflect what is going on in the charities sector and to maintain the status quo. We have a come a long way in this regard. I have,...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (16 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The organisation referred to by the Deputy operates two groups from the address in question. Both of these groups have reached the â¬30,000 annual funding limit set for any individual group operating the Scheme. This limit is in place to ensure that (i) the Scheme maintains its local focus and (ii) there is a fair distribution of the available resources across the country. The area in...
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: It is at the discretion of the local authority.
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate. There are many aspects of the housing issue on which we could focus, but I would like to refer to the area of private rented accommodation. My area, the South Dublin County Council area, was one of the areas used to pilot the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, which has proven very successful. I meet constituents with housing...
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: In 2005, local authorities carried out 6,800 inspections, in 2006 they carried out 9,800 inspections and in 2007 they carried out over 14,000 inspections of rental accommodation. Each year there was a 40% plus increase since the previous year. Clearly, the enforcement regime stepped up to the plate in terms of co-ordination and effectiveness. This will continue to be the case once the new...
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I have read the figures into the record. The point I want to make ââ
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The point I want to make more specifically is that it is not just a question of the total number of inspections. The inspections must be appropriately targeted.
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The inspections must be appropriately targeted, and I make that point specifically. With regard to non-complianceââ
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Sorry for looking at the Deputy. It is important to point out that standards are already improving in this context. We should be heartened to note that the rate of non-compliance with the existing regulations among those properties targeted for inspection has decreased. Whether we agree or disagree on the figures the rate of inspections has risen substantially and it is important to note...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The Community Development Programme was established in 1990 in recognition of the role of community development in tackling the causes and effects of poverty and disadvantage. The programme provides financial assistance to projects to help meet the cost of staffing and equipping local resource centres, which provide a focal point for community development activities. Projects are concerned...