Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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19. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he believes the current powers of the Charities Regulator are sufficient to address issues of accountability and public trust in the sector; if there are plans to expand these powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68348/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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The charities sector provides an invaluable contribution to Irish society, and I want to take this opportunity to commend the work of those involved in the sector all across Ireland, in particular those that work with smaller, local charities, which are often volunteer-led.

The Charities Regulatory Authority was established in 2014 and is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. While the Regulator is under the aegis of my department, it is fully independent in the performance of its statutory functions.

The Charities (Amendment) Act 2024 revised and updated previously existing charity legislation and, when fully commenced, will improve the ability of the Charities Regulator to conduct its statutory functions, providing greater transparency, clarity and fairness in terms of the regulation of charities, leading to greater public trust and confidence in the sector.

A number of sections of this Act were commenced in January 2025, and officials from my Department are currently working with the Charities Regulator to prepare for further commencements in 2026. The Regulator is also developing guidance in line with the commencement of the new provisions to ensure charities have the information they need to assess the potential implications for their organisations.

As part of the oversight and governance arrangements currently in place, officials from my Department meet with the Regulator on a regular basis to discuss the work of the Regulator and its remit. I am satisfied with the current arrangements in place and as such I do not have any plans to further expand the powers of the Charities Regulator at this time.