Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when legislation to regulate charities will be published; and the reason its publication has been subject to ongoing delays. [34792/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I do not accept the Deputy's contention that the publication of legislation to regulate charities has been subject to ongoing delays. As I have previously pointed out to the House, it is only following the establishment of my Department in June 2002 and the setting up of a dedicated charities regulation unit in February 2003 that substantive moves began to be taken towards regulation of the charities sector.

The draft legislation under preparation in my Department will ensure that charities are regulated for the first time since the foundation of the State. With regard to a publication date, I have already publicly signalled spring 2006 as our target for publication of the Bill and my Department continues to give priority to the work of advancing this important legislation.