Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the lack of progress on the charities regulator with the Minister for Justice and Equality. Jim Cusack, a journalist at the Irish Examiner, wrote recently about a children’s charity because four of the seven directors have resigned, citing irregular governance and expenses. A raft of questions need to be answered. The charities regulator has not commented on the case, and that is as it should be as an investigation is ongoing. We had much debate on this issue and celebrated 18 months ago the fact that the Charities Regulatory Authority was put in place but it is in a no-win situation, with high expectations from us and the public as a champion of transparency and integrity. The Minister for Justice and Equality is not putting the necessary funding or manpower into this. On 17 April, she provided charities with another year to register. Now, a very prominent children’s charity seems to be in trouble and four very prominent people have resigned from it. I need the Minister to interject, give us her thoughts and give the regulator some teeth so that we can all have faith. The Government gives between €4.5 billion and €5 billion to the charity sector. We need it regulated.This office seems to have been put away and put on the long finger. It is not good enough.