Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Tue 05 May 2004Ahern plans to reform charity lawThere is no clear definition of what a charity is in Irish law. Research into reform of the sector has been carried out, but no new charity legislation has been enacted for over 40 years.The Revenue Commissioners decide whether a body receives charitable status and something in the region of 5,000 such bodies are listed on the Department's website. They are obliged to produce accounts and to have them available for inspection on request by the Revenue.