Feargal Quinn (Independent)

Once again yesterday I was approached by young people with open buckets looking for charitable donations. I raised this matter in the House on occasions in the past. There is a need for some extra controls on charities. In An Agreed Programme for Government in 2002, the Government stated the need to reform the law relating to charities. In 2003 the Law Society reported on the need for reform of the law on charities. A Government White Paper on supporting voluntary activity was published in 2000. A consultation paper was issued by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, entitled Establishing a Modern Statutory Framework for Charity. There has been much talk and many promises but very little action. Will the Government carry through on what has been promised?