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Charity collection at soccer match Barrington Coombs/EMPICS Sport/Press Association

Charities regulator to be in operation by 2014

New Charities Regulatory Authority will be funded by charities by way of “modest annual registration fee”.

A NEW CHARITIES Regulatory Authority is to be set up with powers to carry out investigations and impose penalties for offences under the Charities Act 2009.

The Department of Justice says the new authority, which will come into operation in 2014, will increase public trust and confidence in the management of charitable organisations.

The authority will keep a register of charities for members of the public to consult if they have any questions or suspicions about an organisation. It will also provide guidelines and codes of conduct for the 8,200 organisations with charitable status.

Announcing the plans today, Justice Minister Alan Shatter said that a system of regulation will allow charities work more effectively and said that the cost of the regulation will be borne by the registered charities themselves by way of a “modest annual registration fee”:

We have consulted with the charity sector on this and the fee structure to be put in place will take account of the views expressed by charities through the consultation process. By adopting this approach, in which the regulation of the sector will in time become largely self-financing, I hope to be able to make appointments to the new authority later this year with a view to it coming into operation in 2014.

Sheila Nordon, Executive Director of charity support group the ICTR says that the sector is entirely welcoming of the new authority and feels that it is vital that all charities will be subject to the same rules. She added that the 2009 legislation  provided for a  statutory definition of  “charitable purpose” for the first time.

Nordon explains that although each charity will be required to report to the authority, proportionality in the proposals means administration will be less onerous on smaller volunteer organisations than larger charities. Despite this Nordon feels that all organisations have a responsibility to be run properly:

Every charity is publicly funded and as a result should be publicly accountable.

Read: ‘Significant’ fall in corporate donations while general public remains generous >

Column: Charities need our trust – so they require tighter regulation >

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42 Comments
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    Mute Monkey Boy
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    Sep 19th 2013, 6:34 PM

    If a pre school is short 1 plaster in a box of 10,thats an automatic fail in 1st aid compliance on the report,the current report will just say 1st aid fail,it does say its because its short of a plaster. Thats hardly fair,i hope the new reports actuly report the proper issues discovered in pre schools that are not up to proper standards. Will the new laws assist the low paid staff with proper working hours,pay and entitlements ??

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    Mute Poppy
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    Sep 19th 2013, 7:20 PM

    Couldn’t agree more. I personally know of a case where the preschool inspector complained there were too many varieties of plasters & dressings. All the new regulations will not prevent nasty people who don’t like children been mean to them like we saw on the Prime Time programme.

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    Mute chalk8down
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    Sep 19th 2013, 6:40 PM

    New legislation is all well & good. Maintaining appropriate carer:child ratios, training staff properly & paying them a credible wage is more paramount, imo…

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    Mute CAM
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    Sep 19th 2013, 6:45 PM

    Perhaps some regulation for childminders too, who look after children in their own home. I have come across many wonderful childminders who treat the children they look after impeccably, however they are not all the same. This is a largely unregulated area and I feel there should be some sort of inspections/reports similar to the UK.

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    Mute David Taylor
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    Sep 19th 2013, 7:40 PM

    No one cares for a
    Child better that his or her parent but unfortunately during the credit tiger we lost the run of ourselves and required 2
    Parents working to support ridiculous mortgages and the introduction of the chain crèche with high running costs etc
    The whole country needs an overhaul not just childcare and plenty of crèche’s who pay staff fairly and treat children well they are just harder to find because the pull of the larger crèche with the so called reputation is a greater pull ….inspectors need to inspect what’s really important not tick a flip board actually sit in the crèche for few days to observe properly

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    Mute Sheelagh Reid
    Favourite Sheelagh Reid
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    Sep 19th 2013, 7:55 PM

    Creche or preschool?

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