Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2010
73 Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of regulations as determined by the Charities Act 2009 needing ministerial sanction that have been implemented to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18995/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Charities Act 2009 is structured in such a way as to allow for commencement, by Ministerial order, of its individual provisions on different dates over a period of time. However, commencement of the majority of the Act is contingent on a Charities Regulatory Authority being in place. To date, section 99, which regulates the sale of Mass cards, and some technical sections (sections 2, 5 and 10) of the Act have been commenced with effect from 1 September 2009 (SI No. 284 of 2009).
The Charities Act 2009 provides for the making of up to 25 separate sets of regulations by the Minister, once section 4 (which contains the provisions enabling the Minister to make regulations under the Act) has been commenced. My Department is taking legal advice at present in relation to the possible commencement of certain further provisions of the Act, including section 4.
My Department is currently rolling out an implementation plan for the Act, which will ensure that the essential elements are in place to enable the introduction of the statutory regulatory framework provided for in the legislation. The drafting of regulations in anticipation of the establishment of the new Charities Regulatory Authority is, of course, a key part of that work. In other countries, it has taken a number of years after enactment of the legislation for the new regulatory system to be fully introduced. This is likely to be the case in Ireland also.
