I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 to 529, inclusive, together.
Officials from my Department and the Office of the Attorney General have recently finalised the text of the proposed Government Order that will amend the Irish Red Cross Society Order 1939. One of the key changes proposed in the amendment Order, which will be brought to Government very shortly, concerns the composition of the Society's governing body, its General Assembly — to be renamed as such instead of Central Council — whereby not more than 10% of its membership can be nominated by Government. I expect to be in a position in the coming weeks to seek Government approval for the nomination of up to four people to the General Assembly.
In addition, the Programme for Government provides for the initiation of a detailed legal review of the basis, structures and governance of the Red Cross in Ireland to improve its functioning in the light of changing circumstances. Work has commenced in my Department in this regard and I expect that the Heads of a new Red Cross Bill should be ready for publication later this year. I believe that an overriding principle must be to ensure that any legislative changes made have the full support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.