Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 437: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will examine and support a matter (details supplied). [3018/11]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will appreciate the difficulties in responding to the matter raised by him within the constraints of a "details supplied" Question. I can, however, say that the sector referred to by him receives funding from a wide range of sources, including the Exchequer, private philanthropists, and the general public. At the moment, there is no central repository of information on the sector in Ireland and how it is funded.

I am, however, addressing this information gap in two ways:

·Firstly, my Department is providing considerable co-funding towards the

development of an on-line, publicly accessible, database of relevant

bodies in Ireland.

·Secondly, recent legislation provides for the introduction of a public

register of charities, on which all bodies operating in the sector in Ireland

will have to be entered. Such bodies will also have to provide an annual

report and specified financial information, which will be available to the

public. The Deputy should note that my Department is currently rolling

out an implementation plan for the legislation in question.

Through these initiatives, I anticipate that there will be much greater transparency as to how the sector is funded, and also how such funding is expended.