Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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343. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Charities Regulatory Authority is inviting applications from schools and other education bodies; if guidance on the registration process for these charities has been developed; and if they will have to pay registration and annual filing fees. [8133/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Charities Regulatory Authority is not currently accepting applications for charitable registration from education bodies within the meaning of the Charities Act 2009 and this has been signalled on the Authority's website, www.charitiesregulatoryauthority.ie.

I am advised that the Authority will be meeting with the Department of Education in the near future to discuss future arrangements for schools and other education bodies, in the context of the statutory establishment of the Charities Regulatory Authority last October. The website of the Authority will be continually updated to reflect any developments regarding these and related matters.

It is intended that, in time, all charities will be charged fees; these fees will vary depending on the income of the charity. My Department conducted a wide-ranging consultation with the charities sector and other stakeholders on this and other issues in 2013. It is envisaged that an announcement on the appropriate levels of fees for registration and annual reporting will be made in the coming months.