Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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41. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for the creation of a charities regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5299/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I recently issued a call for Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for appointment to the Board of a new Charities Regulatory Authority, with a view to making appointments before Easter. I have also recently received sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to appoint an interim CEO and a number of other staff from within existing resources. I intend to have these staff in place by the end of February to enable the new Authority to carry out the necessary preparatory work before coming formally into operation later this year.

An early priority for the new Authority will be the preparation and publication of a statutory register of charities. All registered charities will be required to provide reports to the Authority each year on their activities and these reports will be made available to the public. This will provide a much needed increase in transparency and accountability in the charitable sector, and will support the good practice in charity governance and management that is critical to a vibrant charity sector that commands the trust and confidence of donors and beneficiaries alike.