Regulation of Fundrasing Consultation Process – Documents, Seminars and Submissions

The consultation process was carried out between September 2006 and December 2007 and was divided into three distinct phases, each one of which involved the dissemination of a consultation document, consultation seminar(s) and a request for written submissions. An information website was developed to make the documentation widely and easily available and to provide online booking for consultation seminars. Anyone with an interest in the feasibility research was encouraged to sign up to a mailing list on the website so that they could be kept up to date on progress throughout the consultation period. A total of 511 organisations/individuals have signed up to the mailing list to date.

Phase One

The first phase comprised the dissemination of a Consultation Paper on the Regulation of Fundraising by Charities through legislation and Codes of Good Practice  (PDF 163KB) published in September 2006 followed by a series of regional consultation workshops held during October and November 2006 in Dundalk, Sligo, Galway, Kilkenny, Cork and Dublin.

The purpose of the seminars was:

  • to provide information on the research project,
  • explain what questions the feasibility study is seeking to address,
  • clarify the implications of what is proposed for the sector and
  • to stimulate debate on how best to implement regulation of fundraising by Codes of Practice.

Responses from participants at each seminar were fully recorded and everyone was encouraged to make written submissions by the 15th December 2006. A total of 32 written submissions were received.

Notice of the Public Consultation Process was placed in the national press during October 2006 seeking submissions in response to the Consultation Paper by the 15th December 2006. Four of the written submissions received were in response to these advertisements.

Phase Two

Based on the feedback from the first phase of consultation a set of Draft Proposals for the Regulation of Fundraising by Charities through legislation and Codes of Good Practice  (PDF 531KB) was developed and published in April 2007. The Draft Proposals were widely disseminated and a national consultation seminar was held in The Gresham Hotel, Dublin on the 9th May 2007 to consider the proposals.

The purpose of the workshop was:

  • to give a briefing on the draft proposals
  • to clarify any issues/questions arising
  • to provide an opportunity for discussion and debate on the draft proposals in advance of the closing date for written submissions on 31st May 2007.

Participants were divided into small groups and detailed notes were taken of their comments on the proposals. Everyone was encouraged to make written submissions detailing their views by the 31st May 2007.

In addition, and in advance of the national seminar, a separate consultation process was undertaken with umbrella bodies of charities and members of the Irish Fundraising Forum for Direct Recruitment (IFFDR) where they were invited to give their views. Detailed notes were taken at both meetings and the organisations were also encouraged to make written submissions by the deadline.A total of 13 written submissions were received during this phase.

Phase Three

A key recommendation from the second phase of consultation was that the proposed process for developing the Codes of Good Practice by the charity sector should be tested by convening a working group to develop a Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising. This process was undertaken between July and September 2007 with a Draft Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising  (PDF 132KB) being published and disseminated in early October 2007. A national consultation seminar was held in Dublin on the 8th November to consider the draft statement and to encourage participants to make written submissions by the deadline of the 16th November. As at previous seminars participants were divided into small groups and invited to give their comments on the document which were recorded in detail. A total of 15 written submissions were received.

Based on the feedback from the seminar and the written submissions, the Working Group revised the draft code during December 2007/January 2008 and the final Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising was published at the end of February 2008.

The final feasibility report Regulation of Fundraising by charities through legislation and codes of practice  prepared by Peter Cassells and the Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising compiled by the special Working Group established in July 2007 were formally launched by Minister Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dept. CRaGA) at the first of a series of regional seminars held in Dublin on the 14th May 2008 in the Davenport Hotel. This was followed by similar seminars in Dundalk, Sligo, Galway, Cork and Kilkenny.

The purpose of the seminars was to:

  • report back on the final outcomes and recommendations of the research project and
  • to indicate what the next steps are likely to be in terms of implementation.

They also provided an opportunity to update participants on the legislative progress of the Charities Bill 2007.

Consultation Documents: