Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
2091. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 656 of 25 April 2023, if he will provide an update on the figures provided previously; the processing time for applications currently; the steps being taken to address these delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38405/23]
View answerThe 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 registration of charities.
By way of update to Parliamentary Question No. 656 of 25 April 2023, there are currently approximately 170 active applications submitted to the Charities Regulator which are at various stages of the registration process.
Each application for registration must be carefully assessed by the Charities Regulator to ensure that the applicant meets the specific requirements set out in the Charities Act 2009. The Act does not permit the Charities Regulator to reject an incomplete application. This means that the Charities Regulator must make a substantive decision on whether or not an applicant can be entered in the Register of Charities (“the Register) in each case. This can lead to significant ongoing engagement by the Charities Regulator with applicants over what, in some cases, can be a protracted period of time in order to get their applications to a stage where a fair and robust decision can be made.
In 2023, to provide enhanced support and guidance to organisations wishing to apply to be entered on the Register, the Charities Regulator published new registration guidelines and a new dedicated webpage. It covers the key areas that must be considered, developed or established by an organisation prior to submitting an application. It also explains that certain types of organisations are excluded from being registered under the Act and other reasons why an organisation may not be registered as a charity.
