The Charities Regulatory Authority has taken issue with a Kerry-based animal charity over the maintaining of its financial accounts.
The charity was subject of an RTÉ Investigations Unit report on last night’s Claire Byrne Live which examined issues of poor corporate governance and financial controls at Animal Heaven Animal Rescue (AHAR).
Under Section 47 of the Charities Act 2009 all charities have a "duty to keep proper books of account".
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, CRA chief executive John Farrelly said that intermediate sanctions have been put in place to hold AHAR to account.
Mr Farrelly said that the charity had not maintained proper books of account and that trustees must now rectify this.
The authority has the power to prosecute the charity if it does not comply, he said, adding that the law will be applied without "fear or favour".
However, Mr Farrelly said it was important to note that the trustees of AHAR have accepted the CRA’s notice.
The notice, which was accepted by the organisation yesterday, 16 January, requires the charity to assign the responsibility of keeping proper books of account to a person(s) with the appropriate skills and experience.
It must also introduce periodic financial reporting setting out the income and expenditure (including the nature of that income and expenditure) and the assets and liabilities of the charity.
Furthermore, it must ensure all financial reports are scrutinised by the charity trustees under a standing agenda item – ‘financial status of the charity’ during regular management committee meetings.
