Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
812. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of requests her Department has received from the charities regulator seeking approval for recruitment of additional staff in the years of 2023 and to-date in 2024; of the number of requests received, the number that were granted; and the number that are currently pending, in tabular form. [10264/24]
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.
The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is important to note however, that the Regulator is fully independent in the performance of its statutory functions.
The Charities Regulator has a budgetary allocation in 2024 of €5.3 million, which is an increase of over €200,000 on the 2023 allocation and just over €800,000 on the 2022 allocation respectively. This includes budgetary provision for 48 staff members.
Requests for additional budgetary allocations, including allocations in respect of additional staff, form part of the annual estimates process and are subject to review and approval by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
Separately, I am aware that the commencement of provisions contained in the Charities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 may require an additional budgetary allocation for the Charities Regulator, and these will be considered in due course as part of the annual estimates process.
