Charities Call on Government for Additional Support to Comply with New Legislation

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday May 06, 2008 12:47 by The Wheel - The Wheel gert at wheel dot ie

Ireland’s charities will require additional financial and infrastructural support from Government to help them prepare for new regulatory requirements set out in the Charities Bill 2007, a conference was told on Thursday.

Delegates from a cross-section of charities put their position in relation to the bill, which is currently being passed through the Dáil, to the Minister of State in the Department of Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey TD, at a national conference organised by The Wheel, a leading support and representative network for the community and voluntary sector in Ireland.

DUBLIN: Ireland’s charities will require additional financial and infrastructural support from Government to help them prepare for new regulatory requirements set out in the Charities Bill 2007, a conference was told on Thursday.

Delegates from a cross-section of charities put their position in relation to the bill, which is currently being passed through the Dáil, to the Minister of State in the Department of Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey TD, at a national conference organised by The Wheel, a leading support and representative network for the community and voluntary sector in Ireland.

“Although the bill has been broadly welcomed by charities, we cannot continue to increase the demands made on the charity sector without putting adequate funds and supports in place,“ said The Wheel’s Chief Executive Officer, Deirdre Garvey.

Ms Garvey also said that, once enacted the new legislation will increase demands on charities, particularly in the areas of governance, reporting and compliance. “Community and voluntary organisations most need help with procedures, reports, accounts, governance and the obligations of trustees. For many organisations, managing risk is also an area where assistance will be required”.

She says a recent survey, commissioned by The Wheel, indicates charities want this additional support to come from both the charity sector itself and from the new Regulator and other statutory bodies – but charities are clear that the onus is on the State to provide the necessary funds.

Noting that Government accepted in the national agreement Towards 2016 that support will be required for charities to meet their obligations, Ms Garvey called on Government to consult immediately with charities about the additional resources required.

“An equal and just society can only be achieved if we ensure that community and voluntary organisations are funded appropriately, regulated sensitively and supported comprehensively. Charities need supports now to enable them to prepare for regulation, “ she said.

The Wheel’s conference provides an annual forum for charities and other voluntary organisations to discuss the sector’s evolving role in a rapidly changing society. This year’s conference featured contributions from C.O.R.I. Justice Director, Sean Healy and well-known journalists, Vincent Brown and Fintan O’Toole.

Two-thirds of Irish adults – nearly two million people – engage annually in the social, cultural and humanitarian activities offered by Ireland’s Community and Voluntary Sector. It is estimated that the sector contributes over €2.5 billion to the economy each year and employs over 63,000 full-time and part-time staff.

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