The purpose of today's meeting is to consider the further Revised Estimate for 2017 in respect of Vote 24 - Justice and Equality. I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and his officials to the meeting. Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite the Minister to make his opening statement.
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
I am pleased to have the opportunity to present the further Revised Estimate for 2017 in respect of Vote 24 - Justice and Equality. The only reason for the further Revised Estimate is to reflect the transfer of the responsibility of the Charities Regulatory Authority to the newly established Department of Rural and Community Development following a transfer of functions effective from 26 July 2017. The proposed change to Vote 24 is of a technical nature and Exchequer neutral. Gross funding of €4.453 million, which is 1% of the original allocation, and net €4.358 million is being transferred to the newly established Department of Rural and Community Development. The committee completed its consideration of the Estimates for 2017 in respect of the eight Votes in the justice group, including Vote 24 - Justice and Equality, last April.
I do not have anything further to add other than to inform members of the technical change in the Vote arising from the transfer of functions in respect of the Charities Regulatory Authority to the Department of Rural and Community Development.
I open the floor to those members with questions.
I thank the Minister for attending. What was the rationale for the transfer? Surely the oversight function of the Charities Regulatory Authority is better placed in the Department of Justice and Equality. I find it hard to understand the logic apart from giving a Minister who has little funding in his own Department something to do.
I think that is unfair. This was the decision of Government following due and careful consideration. The key rationale for the transfer is that the Department of Rural and Community Development has specific responsibility, as stated in the title, for community development. I felt, as did ministerial colleagues, that it would be appropriate to vest policy responsibility for the community and voluntary sector as a whole in that Department. It is clear that many community and voluntary sector organisations are registered charities. It was considered that there would be certain synergies in transferring responsibility for the charities sector and its regulation to that Department. The Chairman and members of the committee will be aware that the Department of Justice and Equality has almost 30 agencies attached to it. I recommended, and Government agreed, that the functions of the Charities Regulatory Authority and the Charity Appeals Tribunal would be a better fit in that new Department.
Does the Minister anticipate any other responsibilities or agencies being transferred from his Department to this new Department? Will any legislative changes relating to the regulation of charities happen under the auspices of the new Department?
I do not envisage any legislative changes being necessary in the matter of the transfer. Members will be aware that a change in designation of the Valuation Office, the Property Services Regulatory Authority and Ordnance Survey Ireland is currently under consideration. I think references to these changes are included in the programme for Government. If they are not already aware of them, I would be happy to provide the committee members with the details. It would be appropriate that such issues would be placed before the committee. It is intended that these agencies would be the subject matter of a transfer to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
By all means, if the material is circulated to the clerk it will be distributed to members. Are there any other questions?
My second question was not quite answered. I was not asking if legislative change is required for this transfer but whether any legislative change would be the responsibility of the new Department.
Yes, I would expect that it would be the responsibility of the new Department. In respect of the other agencies, I should have referred to the Property Registration Authority rather than the Property Services Regulatory Authority, which regulates auctioneers. I meant to refer to what was known as the Land Registry. That will come under the overall umbrella of Tailte Éireann.
No other members are indicating so we will conclude. I thank the Minister and his officials for assisting the committee with our consideration of the further Revised Estimate.