Vol. 512 No. 3
280 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will expedite the paperwork regarding the sale of a site (details supplied) in order that the transfer is immediately dealt with by the Commissioners for Charitable Donations and Bequests and approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25926/99]
I am informed by the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland that they received an application on 18 November last from solicitors acting for the trustees in this matter, seeking approval for the sale of certain lands to the Minister for Education and Science for the sum of £45,000 in order to provide a new teachers' centre.
The application was accompanied by an auctioneer's certificate of valuation stating that the open market value of the property on 2 March last was £120,000.
The commissioners have informed me that they cannot approve a sale at less than the market value save in the circumstances outlined in section 11(2) of the Charities Act, 1973. Under this section the applicant must show: (i) that the disposition is for the benefit of a specified charitable purpose other than the purpose of the charity of which the applicants are trustees; (ii) that the disposition would operate for the public benefit.
I understand that in order to progress this matter, a letter issued from the commissioners on 1 December to the solicitors for the trustees involved requesting documentary evidence to show that the new teachers' centre is a charitable organisation recognised by the Revenue Commissioners, and not within the ordinary statutory remit of the Minister for Education and Science.
