Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

16. To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that the Irish Red Cross has fully implemented the recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts contained in its report on the Irish Red Cross of May 2012; if his Department is monitoring, on an ongoing basis, the implementation of these recommendations, both for the Irish Red Cross and for his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25086/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Irish Red Cross Society is an independent charitable body corporate with full power to manage and administer its own affairs. I am satisfied that the Society has made substantial improvements to its governance framework in recent years which comply with the standards set by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and also with the recommendations contained in the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts report which was published in 2012. All of the recommendations made were carefully examined and noted by my Department and the reforms introduced by the Society were substantially facilitated by the legislative amendments made by this Government in 2012. This legislative change represented the most wide ranging and fundamental set of changes to have occurred since the establishment of the Society in 1939. In this regard, I can also confirm that the recommendations made in the Public Accounts Committee’s report were implemented by the Society in 2012. Furthermore, in accordance with a Programme for Government commitment, my Department is continuing to progress a legal review of the basis, structures and governance of the Irish Red Cross. In this regard, it is proposed that the existing primary legislation which dates back to 1938 is to be repealed in new primary legislation that will redefine the relationship between Government and the Irish Red Cross Society. This will further underpin the independence of the Society. Draft Heads of the Red Cross Bill are currently being finalised.