Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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2608. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of people employed by registered charities in the Stat; the number of these workers employed by Section 10, Section 39 and Section 56 bodies, by each type, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20056/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice.

My Department has been assigned responsibility for the Charities Regulator. It is important to note however, that the Regulator is fully independent in the performance of its statutory functions, including the maintenance of the Register of Charities.

At the end of 2024 there were 11,444 charities on the Register. This number varies regularly as organisations are added to and leave the Register. The employment of people by charities is a matter for the charities themselves, and charities are not recorded on the Register as being Section 10, Section 39 or Section 56 bodies. Such information may be available from the relevant Department with remit over these areas.

Research carried out on behalf of the Charities Regulator, and published in the Report on the Social and Economic Impact of Registered Charities in Ireland (2023), estimated that there were approximately 280,000 people employed by charities in Ireland. This excludes the Health Service Executive, which is by far the largest registered charity in Ireland, as including the HSE would detract from the usefulness of the report in understanding the charity sector. Further information on this report can be found on the Charities Regulator’s website at www.charitiesregulator.ie.

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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2609. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his Department has carried out a study on the impact of costs associated with compliance requirements on charities, social enterprises and the wider community and voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20061/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, was published in 2019. The strategy reaffirms the Government’s commitment to supporting the sector and addressing some of the burdens faced by service providers.

The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by the Cross-Sectoral Group on Local and Community Development which supports my Department in the prioritisation of objectives and actions to be progressed within the framework of annual workplans. My Department has not carried out any study on the impacts of costs associated with compliance requirements on charities, social enterprises and the wider community and voluntary sector.

A notable initiative under the Government's strategy was the undertaking of a comprehensive Training Needs Assessment, specific to the needs of small community and voluntary organisations and boards of charitable organisations, which was completed in October last. It is my Department’s intention to work with the sector to implement the recommendations of the training needs assessment report, including raising awareness of compliance obligations and the provision of governance training that meets organisations’ needs.

My Department delivers a range of programmes and schemes in rural and community development, which are available to groups, such as those referenced by the Deputy, throughout the country. Programmes such as SICAP (2024 - 2028) have a renewed focus on building capacity in community representative structures, establishing new community groups and social enterprises, and empowering communities to lead out on identifying their own needs, through Community Animation. The supports are provided by community development workers based on needs identified at a local level, and include enhancing governance capacity and compliance by registered charities with the Charities Acts.

The Charities (Amendment) Act, 2024 was signed into law by the President on 10th July 2024. The Act seeks to provide greater transparency, clarity, and fairness in terms of the regulation of charities, leading to greater public trust and confidence in the sector. I recognise the need for proportionate regulation and governance requirements for our charities and in many cases, the legislation will ease the administrative burden on smaller charities. I am conscious also that charities may be required to comply with other regulatory bodies such as HIQA, AHBRA, FSA and Tusla as well as bodies as Revenue and the CRO, for those that are subject to the Companies Acts.

Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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2610. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his Department has carried out a study on the impact of costs associated with energy price increase on charities, social enterprises and the wider community and voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20062/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In 2019, my Department published Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities - A five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024.

The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by the Cross-Sectoral Group on Local and Community Development which supports my Department in the prioritisation of objectives and actions to be progressed within the framework of annual workplans. My Department has not carried out any study on the impacts of costs associated with energy price increases on charities, social enterprises and the wider community and voluntary sector.

However, in the years since the strategy was adopted, notable initiatives in supporting the sector in respect of both energy costs and general costs have been undertaken by my Department. These include:

- the rollout of the Covid-19 Stability Fund in 2020 and 2021 which provided grant assistance to 869 C&V organisations, charities and social enterprises totalling €49.6m.

- a C&V Energy Support Scheme (CVESS) introduced in 2022 worth €1.4m, which assisted 876 organisations in order to meet higher energy costs. This scheme complemented other energy cost support measures introduced by the government in 2022.

- Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, includes actions that provide supports to social enterprises to assist them in availing of renewable energy opportunities. Also, a new €2m Dormant Accounts funded ‘Growing Social Enterprise' fund to provide investment capital to social enterprises that include upgrading works to their premises to reduce overhead costs.

- The Scheme to Support National Organisation (SSNO) currently provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations delivering services and supports. The current iteration of the SSNO, which will conclude at the end of 2025, has provided approximately €24 million to 82 national, community and voluntary organisations over the three and half years of the scheme.

Separately, my Department launched the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 in November 2024. This year, the fund includes €1 million in current funding to provide support and assistance to community and voluntary groups towards their utility bills, rental/lease costs, insurance costs etc.