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THE CHARITIES REGULATOR has said that the purpose of the organisation is to ensure that people who are doing good work in the sector are able to continue to do so and that those who aren’t are held to account.
Chief Executive John Farrelly said that the regulator was there to put the proper structures in place so that not-for-profit organisations are able to do their work efficiently with proper accountability.
“We’re trying to drive a system where if you’re transparent and doing good work you will thrive,” Farrelly told TheJournal.ie.
But if you’re not transparent and not clear in the work you’re doing, you won’t.
The Charities Regulator was established in October 2014 under the terms of the Charities Act (2009).
Its primary function is to set up and maintain a a public register of charitable organisations operating in Ireland and ensure their compliance with the Charities Acts.
The Charities Act was brought into law with the purpose of regulating the not-for-profit sector in Ireland, which previously had much less in the way of proper guidelines for operations and accountability.
John Farrelly said that putting the appropriate structures and practices in place to do this may take awhile, but that once they are in place it will be a lot clearer for trustees and charity officials to know what they need to do to work properly.
“The charities never had a structure to benchmark against so we want to put that in place,” he said.
“But the other thing is, is that we will target and we will eliminate people from the sector who are not well-informed and who are not well-intentioned.
Charities can’t behave like that anymore.
Farrelly said that he hoped the register of charities would be complete by the middle of next year. He also said that over 1,000 charities had also been taken off the register since the regulator began its work.
Public consultation
The regulator is currently seeking the general public’s opinion on how Irish charities should be governed going forward.
Farrelly said that it was pursuing an open, transparent process on issues like governance, monitoring and what guidelines should be in place for how charities function.
“What I want to do is put a structure in place for ordinary decent people who think, ‘I want to get involved – if we run the charity this way things will be fine’,” he said.
So the vast majority of charities are small charities but we also need to put a structure in place for these big, huge charities with millions and millions of euros – so we want to address that as well.
One aspect that the regulator is particularly interested in hearing from are trustees (board members) of charities.
It estimates that there are over 40,000 charity trustees in Ireland, and it is seeking their views on how a not-for-profit organisation should be run.
“They’re the people that run the charities. They’re the people we hold to account and they’re the people we need to support,” he said.
I want to hear from them. Not anybody else but directly from them – how we can help them ensure that we’re doing the job properly.
The regulator has developed an anonymous online survey for people to answer questions and give their opinions on these issues. It is also accepting written submissions in order to get people’s views.
As well as this, it is also holding a series of public consultation meetings in Galway (Monday 6 November) and Dublin (21 November) around the subject.
A meeting has already been held in Cork.
Farrelly said that the regulation of the not-for-profit sector was “a big job” but that it was vitally important to carry it out effectively.
“It is a big job but wouldn’t it be a shame if we gave up on all the good work that’s been done through the years for a few people who have been very badly behaved,” he said.
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Walk like an Egyptian…. They’ll think you’re bat shit crazy and to much of a liability to try take on
I needed that laugh
Walk like a Pidgeon, chew gum, wear a tracksuit and hold a half can of Stella and nobody will mess with you
Why do northsiders keep pidgeons?………………………………………………so they can teach their kids to walk.
Have to say lads I’m weak laughing
On behalf of Northsiders I’d say that it’s more important to teach kids to spell. Pigeon, for example. Otherwise you’ll end up speaking pidgin English like the Southsiders………
lol …Phil +1
What did the south side guy, say to the north side guy, that was chatting up his girlfriend?
Nothing. He shat himself & went to the “loo”
Why was the northside guy chatting to the southside guy’s girlfriend? Looking for change for a hostel, obviously.
Epic Phil, what a legend!!
A hostel were he would take his girlfreind mark !
Ha, if she’s a proper southside girl she wouldn’t be caught dead in a hostel!
And Irish Judges will let those violent criminals walk away with a six month suspended.
If they’re really unlucky. Community service is real popular too
Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk…
The business executive who violently attacked the cyclist was a real nice fella . not all thugs wear tracksuits .
Psychopaths are the preferred choice for managerial positions in some companies. They get away with it at work but sometimes they forget outside the bubble and many people pray that they’re around when that happens just to even things up for the victim, that’s all, honestly.
I walk on walls, never been mugged
You’ve obviously never met spiderthug? Your day will come
Tiocfaidh ár lá Alan ;-)
People with certain psychopathic traits, not psychopaths. Psychopaths are the one running big business, governments, banks etc. You know the ones? F√¢k everybody types?
I’m a bit like that. Got me a little bit of power in the labour camp, haven’t looked back since
Like Charity CEO’S???
Yeah they’re the feel no remorse types. The kind that can rape, beat, shoot, stab and gouge without feeling a thing.
Psychopaths don’t necessarily rape, beat, shoot, stab or gouge anybody.
I know one or two guys who look run of the mill but I ‘d be a very upset mugger if I tangled with them.
well of course you can tell. You can tell a lot by someone’s demeanour.
I always study a person’s shoes.
That means nothing, there are plenty of cheapskates out there?
People with money sometimes sport the most horrific footwear.
And plenty of cheap skates
You’re also more likely to be chosen as a victim if you look like you wouldn’t fight back. When someone suspicious walks past you always look them in the eye, they’ll pick someone else.
Over 60s should carry a walking stick whether they need it or not, just as effective as the look in the eye
A walking stick would get in my way. Hands free does the most damage when called upon …
Sinead that is very poor advice, looking somebody in the eye who you think is suspicious can be seen as a challenge or interpreted in so many different ways you are inviting trouble, Do NOT interact with potential adversaries, increase your situational awareness stay in control and move away from trouble
Tiny sampling base. Leaves out facts such as females, young, elderly, sick, disabled etc usually being more vulnerable. In fact most crimes are opportunistic committed by young people on other young people. Very little intellectual data analysis is undertaken by the perpetrators on victims or possible outcomes for themselves.
What are “young people”?anyone who is not old?
Keep your head up, always observe your surroundings and keep your arms loose with a 6 or 7 inch gap between the inside of your elbows and your hip. Unlike this article it’s best to walk the walk to avoid any form of violence altogether. Bit stupid of the author to say it’s better to get built than avoid any confrontation altogether. With the violent third worlders flooding into Europe tho it’s probably a good time to get built tho.
Alex Ferguson said there were two things you couldn’t change; The team you support and the way you walk.
I used to support QPR then I supported Man U now I just support ROI or anyirish international and my walk changes with my levels of confidence so he should stick to managing United.
West Ham are my favourite London team, then spurs. Good fans. Especially the Hammers. Witnessed them live at Anfield. Gettin beat 5 nil but still going haywire.
I can judge potential criminals by their smell and their need for a rock of crack
I look for the hunger in the eyes if they are hungry they let you know and the determination in the the walk is a dead give away, the energetic dead look (guant and hyper) is quite mischievous.
I know of a person who 2 fellas thought it be fun to beat up as they saw the man as a simpleton in their view, they waited one night to pounch on him. Turns out they didn’t batter him, that he battered them as he was well up the karate ladder.
If you look vunerable then certain people will see you as a target, as there are some right bad sods out there.
And most aware citizens can spot the violent criminal by their working class features. Their appearance usually suggests low intelligence and if they chance to open their mouth… done deal. If you get really lucky and they produce a pack of Blue when they smoke. Get out of the area fast.
So it’s sort of reverse profiling by criminals on potential victims . . The criminal mind is absolutely narcissistic.
Trust psychopaths to come up with stuff normal people would never think of?
Moonwalk away shouting heeeee heeeeee!
What a load of shite
Now that is a thought, reading a persons walk who has just pooed themselves?
Yes, inferred levels of defiance/compliance and likelihood of success may be naturally determined by the evil that walk among us even at range based on a prospective victims stance, gait, reactionary reciprocal glances or lack/avoidance of, orientation relative to the onlooker, demeanour, manner of making/breaking held eye contact, whether they see hands nervously clutching a handbag or else determinedly clenched in a precautionary fist. We humans wear our fear outwardly in a multitude of ways and any jackal that enjoys a kill will instinctively know his particular prey from amongst the masses. Ted Bundy used to bypass his fellow humans fight or flight and other defensive layers/mechanisms by pretending to be injured, arm in a sling, on crutches etc. A good killer will have you in a place beyond refuge ever before you know you’re soon to be dead.
They wouldn’t have the intelligents.
No sh!t Sherlock!
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