Electoral commission and charities legislation
Gerry Adams seeks progress on the electoral commission Bill and the Charities Act; the Minister says the electoral commission proposal is still under consideration and will provide an update on the charities legislation.
Tá ceist agam faoi the electoral commission Bill agus ceann eile faoi the Charities Regulatory Authority.
Comment on this
The Charities Regulatory Authority and the Charities Act 2009. On the electoral commission Bill, the Minister will know the Convention on the Constitution addressed reform of the Dáil electoral system in its fourth report, that the Government published a consultation paper on this and that it was discussed by the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht in March and that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has described it as of the highest priority for the Government. However, we still have not got it. When will the electoral commission Bill be published?
On the Charities Act 2009 and the Charities Regulatory Authority, there have been a number of controversies around the management of charities recently, as was most obvious in the case of the Central Remedial Clinic. The Minister for Justice and Equality established the position of charities regulator in 2012, which we supported, and the board was set up in April 2014. However, the part of the Charities Act which gives the regulatory authority statutory powers with respect to charitable organisations has yet to commence. Subsequently, the authority does not have the power or the resources to conduct such investigations. When will the Government deal with this matter?
Comment on this
In respect of the electoral commission Bill, a consultation paper was published on 27 January this year and sent, as the Deputy said, to the joint committee for pre-legislative scrutiny. I presume there will be a report back and that the Minister will, on the back of that, decide what changes, if any, are needed to the consultation paper. However, at this stage, it is not possible to indicate a time as it has not gone to Government yet.
I will have to get the Deputy an update on the Charities Act. I do not know what is the state of play with respect to the commencement order but I will get the Deputy the information he requires.
Comment on this
There is no charity in this Government.