Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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450. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Charities Act 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16453/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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On 1st March 2014, I designated Ms. Úna Ní Dhubhghaill as the first Chief Executive of the new Charities Regulatory Authority which is to be established under the Charities Act of 2009. This appointment is an important step towards our goal of establishing the new Charities Regulatory Authority within 2014. The Charities Act gives us the framework we need to increase transparency and accountability across the charities sector and to support the good practice that is essential to a strong and vibrant charities sector. We can now move forward with establishing the Office of the Authority and putting its Board in place over the coming weeks, so that it can begin operation later in the year in line with the commitment made by the Government.

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.