Vol. 546 No. 3
57 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when he expects to introduce legislation to reform the law relating to charities in accordance with the recommendations of the Costello report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31595/01]
Responsibility for charity regulatory matters and the office of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests has transferred from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs as outlined in the White Paper on a Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity and for Developing the Relationship Between the State and the Community and Voluntary Sector. The order to effect this transfer was made on the 27 July 2001. The Government is committed to ensuring the introduction of comprehensive legislation on regulation of charities and charitable fundraising, in line with the recognition in the White Paper of the need for a more modern legal framework. The work of reviewing the legislation which is currently under way in my Department will be accompanied by a broad public consultation on the appropriate regulatory framework and the nature and extent of the legislative reform required. My Department has recently held discussions with the Law Reform Commission on this question. The Law Reform Commission has indicated that it will shortly commence an examination of charity law with a view to producing a report on the necessary legal reforms.
