Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter TD, today (30 April 2014) announced sixteen appointments to the Board of the Charities Regulatory Authority that is to be established later this year under the terms of the 2009 Charities Act.
Minister Shatter said, “I am pleased to announce these appointments, as an important step forward for the new system of charities regulation we are putting in place. This follows the appointment of the Chief Executive of the new Authority in March.”
“The Charities Regulatory Authority will be an independent regulator for our charities. It will have powers under the Charities Act to introduce robust yet proportionate measures to improve the accountability and transparency of our charity sector. This is essential to the restoration and maintenance of public trust and confidence in our charities, whose work across many sectors makes such a crucial and highly valued contribution to our economy and society.”
“Through its work, the Authority will also help to ensure that the type of difficulties that have given rise to concerns about charities in the recent past, do not arise in future. I look forward to seeing the results of the important work that will be carried out by the Authority.”
Conor Woods is to be appointed as Chairperson of the new Authority and the following people are to be appointed as ordinary members:
1. Graham Richards
2. Ann Fitzgerald
3. Patricia Cronin
4. David Brady
5. Cynthia Clampett
6. Patrick Hopkins
7. Anna Classon
8. Fergus Finlay
9. Tom Costello
10. Senan Turnbull
11. Barbara O’Connell
12. Hugh Maddock
13. Sandra Chambers
14. Katie Cadden
15. Noel Wardick
The new Board will hold its first meeting in the coming weeks. In line with Government policy, the Chairperson will be invited to a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence to discuss his vision for the Authority. The appointments will be formalised following the establishment of the Authority by Ministerial Order under the Charities Act later this year.
30 April 2014
ENDS
Notes for Editors
Charities Regulatory Authority
On 1 March 2014, Minister Shatter designated Ms. Úna Ní Dhubhghaill as the first Chief Executive of the new Charities Regulatory Authority which is to be established under the Charities Act of 2009.
The Charities Regulatory Authority is to be established in 2014 as an independent body under the terms of the Charities Act 2009. Its functions will be as follows:
(a) increase public trust and confidence in the management and administration of charitable trusts and charitable organisations,
(b) promote compliance by charity trustees with their duties in the control and management of charitable trusts and charitable organisations,
(c) promote the effective use of the property of charitable trusts or charitable organisations,
(d) ensure the accountability of charitable organisations to donors and beneficiaries of charitable gifts, and the public,
(e) promote understanding of the requirement that charitable purposes confer a public benefit,
(f) establish and maintain a register of charitable organisations,
(g) ensure and monitor compliance by charitable organisations with this Act,
(h) carry out investigations in accordance with this Act,
(i) encourage and facilitate the better administration and management of charitable organisations by the provision of information or advice, including in particular by way of issuing (or, as it considers appropriate, approving) guidelines, codes of conduct, and model constitutional documents,
(j) carry on such activities or publish such information (including statistical information) concerning charitable organisations and trusts as it considers appropriate,
(k) provide information (including statistical information) or advice, or make proposals, to the Minister on matters relating to the functions of the Authority.
The proposed appointments follow a selection process facilitated by the Public Appointments Service. An open call for Expressions of Interest was issued by the Minister for Justice and Equality on 24th January 2014. A total of 325 expressions of interest were received.
Information on Appointees
Conor Woods – Chairperson
Accountant / Senior Statutory Auditor. Chairperson of Chartered Accountants Ireland Charity Committee. Lecturer on Corporate Governance Charities Act 2009 implementation, Governance Code and Irish Tax Review Guidelines with Arthur Guinness Fund.
Graham Richards
Charity Commissioner. Consultant at Matheson Ormsby Prentice Solicitors with particular expertise in the area of trusts and estates
Ann Fitzgerald
Barrister. Member of Board of Directors Cork Simon Community
Patricia Cronin
Solicitor. Board Member and ViceChair of Transparency International Ireland.
David Brady
Accountant/Senior Consultant/Advisor to the Charity sector. Former Chair of the Charities and Not-for-Profit Special Interest Group of Chartered Accountants Ireland
Patrick Hopkins
Accountant/Company Secretary Enterprise Ireland. Board Member St Vincent de Paul
Anna Classon
Head of Fundraising RNLI. Institute of Fundraising Member.
Fergus Finlay
Chief Executive, Barnardos
Cynthia Clampett
CEO Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation
Tom Costello
Programme Executive with The Atlantic Philanthropies
Senan Turnbull
Chair, Think Ahead Advisory Committee, Irish Hospice Foundation. Member of the Working Group of The Governance Code.
Barbara O’Connell
Former Occupational Therapy Manager. Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. Board Member of Disability Federation of Ireland and European Brain Injury Society.
Hugh Maddock
Area Organiser / Fundraiser for Rehabilitation Institute / Rehab Group who has personal experience of disability.
Sandra Chambers
Tax Specialist with particular expertise in the area of establishment and funding of charities.
Katie Cadden
Solicitor with Masters Degree in Public Law. Formerly legal adviser to PRTB
Noel Wardick
International Programs-Consultant CBM Ireland. Former Head of International Department, Irish Red Cross. Director on the governing boards of Transparency International Ireland and Comhlámh