# Charity legislation becomes law

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/03/04/charity-legislation-becomes-law/
- Published: 2009-03-04T14:08:17+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The new charities legislation in the Republic of Ireland has finally been signed
into law. President Mary McAleese signed the Charities Act 2007 last Saturday following
its passage through the Dáil and Seanad.

 

The Charities Act makes provision for a new body, the Charities Regulatory Authority(
CRA) and for registration and regulation of charities. It is an offence for a person
to advertise, solicit money for, or accept money on behalf of, a charity or charitable
body that has not been registered by the CRA. Existing charities will have to apply
for registration.

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The legislation has taken a long time to make it onto the statue books and just 
last month there was controversy when the Government amended the Bill in the Seanad
making it a criminal offence to sell bogus Mass cards where the signature of the
priest was not genuine and no Mass actually said.

 

During the debate, Senator David Norris read from an opinion provided by former 
attorney general John Rogers SC to a solicitor for a man who sells genuine Mass 
cards signed by a priest in the Philippines.

 

Mr Rogers’s opinion was that the provision was “an unjustified restriction on the
Article 44 guarantee of the free profession and practice of religion”.

 

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