Northern Ireland Assembly Monday 1 June 2009 Written Ministerial Statement The content of this written ministerial statement is as received at the time from the Minister. It has not been subject to the official reporting (Hansard) process. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Charity Commission for Northern Ireland Published at 10.30am on Monday 1 June 2009 Minister for Social Development (Ms Ritchie): I am pleased to inform Assembly Members of the appointment of members to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (“the Commission”). The Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 which was granted Royal Assent in September 2008 provides for a new regulatory framework for all charities operating in Northern Ireland. The Commission, a non-departmental public body, will be Northern Ireland’s first regulator and registrar of charities. The first of a series of Commencement Orders which will bring the new legislation into operation was made on 26 March 2009. The Order commenced those provisions relating to the establishment of the Commission, thus paving the way for the appointment of members. Competitions to recruit members of the Commission were carried out under the public appointments process which is regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Today, I will announce the names of those candidates whom I have appointed, as follows: Chief Commissioner: Mr Tom McGrath The Commission will be tasked with a major programme of charity law reform which will promote good governance of, and increase public confidence in, the charitable sector. In addition to its significant powers to regulate, monitor and investigate, the Commission will achieve this through close liaison with the PSNI, Revenue & Customs and other charity regulators in the UK and Ireland. |