Irish charities get new code of conduct to raise standards

IRISH charities are to be controlled by new rules – including term limits on trustees.

It follows a series of high-profile cases, including that of Ataxia Ireland, in which CEO Barbara Flynn was found to have paid €84,000 to her parents, the trustees of the charity.

In July, the High Court struck out her case against the Charities Regulator, which found the payments were ‘contrary to the Revenue’s stated position’ that trustees should be unpaid. Her parents founded the charity, which helps people with the ataxia disorder, and had been trustees for decades.

It also follows the case of the Console mental health charity, in which the Charities Regulator appointed five new trustees to the organisation in June 2016 after finding a series of financial irregularities.

The new code includes 32 core standards all charities are expected to follow regardless of size, as well as 17 additional standards reflecting the best practice for those with higher incomes or a more complex structure.

The launch follows the recommendations of a panel set up by the Charities Regulator last year to advise on the best course of action.

The new regulations launched by Junior Community Affairs Minister Seán Canney are to be fully implemented by the beginning of 2020 – and by 2021 charities must report on their level of compliance.