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| Head of charity watchdog revealed | Head of charity watchdog revealed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The makeup of Northern Ireland's first Charities Commission has been announced. | The makeup of Northern Ireland's first Charities Commission has been announced. |
| The six-member body will be headed by Thomas McGrath, the former chair of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. | The six-member body will be headed by Thomas McGrath, the former chair of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. |
| The commission will regulate, monitor and investigate charities in order to increase the public's confidence in the charitable sector. | The commission will regulate, monitor and investigate charities in order to increase the public's confidence in the charitable sector. |
| There are an estimated 12,000 charities in Northern Ireland, but only about 7,500 are registered. | There are an estimated 12,000 charities in Northern Ireland, but only about 7,500 are registered. |
| Mrs Patricia Sloan, Director of BBC Children in Need, will be the deputy chief commissioner. | Mrs Patricia Sloan, Director of BBC Children in Need, will be the deputy chief commissioner. |
| The other board members are | The other board members are |
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| The chief commissioner said the new body would seek to fulfil its role as a regulatory body without hindering the work of the charities. | The chief commissioner said the new body would seek to fulfil its role as a regulatory body without hindering the work of the charities. |
| The commission's responsibilities To clearly define charitiesTo maintain a register of NI charitiesTo test what is and isn't a charityTo regulate the charitable sector | The commission's responsibilities To clearly define charitiesTo maintain a register of NI charitiesTo test what is and isn't a charityTo regulate the charitable sector |
| "We should where possible seek to encourage and support that work within the context of our legal responsibilities," Mr McGrath said. | "We should where possible seek to encourage and support that work within the context of our legal responsibilities," Mr McGrath said. |
| The Charities Commission was unveiled by the social development minister, Margaret Ritchie, at Barnardo's in Belfast on Monday. | The Charities Commission was unveiled by the social development minister, Margaret Ritchie, at Barnardo's in Belfast on Monday. |
| Ms Ritchie said that while she congratulated charities on the "sterling work they do", the system had to be regulated. | Ms Ritchie said that while she congratulated charities on the "sterling work they do", the system had to be regulated. |
| "We need the public to be assured that the money they give is going to where it should go. | "We need the public to be assured that the money they give is going to where it should go. |
| "In Northern Ireland we have to date been out of step compared to Britain in that we have not had a charity commission. | "In Northern Ireland we have to date been out of step compared to Britain in that we have not had a charity commission. |
| "I have sought to change this and to provide reassurance and confidence for charities and for the giving public," she said. | "I have sought to change this and to provide reassurance and confidence for charities and for the giving public," she said. |
| The chief executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, Seamus McAleavey, said it was a "good day for charities". | |
| "The commission will give the public confidence that their financial contributions are used properly and applied for the purposes they are donated." |