Charity Commissioner must to be appointed without delay – PAC Chairman

“The HSE, which itself has many questions to answer regarding its supervision of charities covered by Section 38 Grants,  has now called in the charities to ensure that they are compliant.

As Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, I want to be sure that the public can be confident that the money they donate is used for the benefit of the clients of these charities and for no other purpose. I also want to be confidant that from now on this is clearly seen to be the case.

The Public Accounts Committee is determined that transparency and accountability will be speedily enforced throughout this very sensitive sector, which looks after the needs of so many people who depend on it for care and support.

I have expressed concern before about the lack of control in this area. It is now imperative that the veil of secrecy surrounding some charitable organisations is pulled aside immediately and the opacity of their accounts and other contractural and professional arrangements is removed once and for all.

I am calling on the government to immediately implement the provisions in the 2009 Charity Act. In fact, I wonder why this was not done long ago, which might have prevented the situation we now find ourselves in.

A Charity Commissioner must to be appointed without delay. All bodies designated as charities must be required to provide independently audited accounts, in line with private sector best practice, within three months.

A great deal of the trouble we experience in this country is caused by lack of rigour and a lack of desire to grasp nettles. The consequences can be seen every week at the Public Accounts Committee. There is a lack of respect for hard earned public money and too much caution about dealing firmly with those who squander, misuse or waste it.

I would ask the public to remember that the people on the ground in these charities, the nurses, doctors, helpers and volunteers, who do amazing work, and the clients that depend on them. They deserve our sympathy and support, because they are devastated by these revelations and the negative effect that they are having on the funding so badly needed to continue the work they do.

The lives if vulnerable people and their carers have been thrown into confusion as Christmas approaches. Do not forget them. What is happening is not their fault.

I know it is difficult, but I would urge the public to continue giving. We should not let the behaviour of a few prevent us from helping the great good efforts of the many. I think it unlikely that money given now will be treated with anything but the greatest caution and respect.

The Public Accounts Committee will do its work in this area with speed and diligence, and we will expect no less from those who are called before us.

Speed is of the essence, because it is the innocent who are suffering, but it is our intention that the accounts and administration of this important and sensitive sector will be crystal clear and beyond reproach by the time we complete our work.”

Media Enquiries to:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

01-6183903

086-0496518