Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
551. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the operation of the Charities Regulatory Authority; the number of applicants awaiting registration; the average length of time a charity is waiting between submitting an application and the issuing of a registered charity number; and the number of staff in the authority assigned to approving applications. [17852/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 39 of the Charities Act 2009, provides the regulatory basis for organisations to register with the Charities Regulator. In order to apply for charitable status an organisation must provide evidence that it;
- Operates in the Republic of Ireland
- Exists for a charitable purpose(s) as set out in the Charities Act 2009,
- Promotes this charitable purpose(s) only,
- Carries out all activities to further this charitable purpose,
- Exists to benefit the public or a section of the public in Ireland, or elsewhere, through its charitable purpose(s), and
- Is not an excluded body.
In the first quarter of 2018, 505 decisions to award charitable status were made by the Regulator. This compares with 1,757 for the whole of 2017.
My Department is advised that the current average time for a decision from submission of all relevant information is approximately four to five months but can be less or more depending on the complexity of the application and the responsiveness of the applicant to any queries raised.
At the end of March 2018 there were 826 complete applications awaiting decision – of these 592 were with the applicant to respond to queries.
I am advised that the Charities Regulator increased staffing in this area from three case officers to seven in the third quarter of 2017 with a corresponding increase in decisions made. It is expected that this trend will increase in 2018 with the launch of a new digital platform, a simplified application system for small community and voluntary organisations and the publication of further guidance which will assist applicants.
