Dublin North FF TD Michael Kennedy called for the extensive use of permits for those involved in collecting for charities.
Permits, he said, should be accompanied by a recognisable ID identifying the person as a collector for a charity. "The introduction of a standard ID permit system means legal documentation can be furnished on request to members of the public - be that on a street, during a charity function or at a doorstep.
"Consideration will also have to be given to the validity period of these permits to ensure monitoring of the system is ongoing. Permit holders should be required to reapply for their permits annually, perhaps within a calendar year."
But there would have to be exceptions, he said. The permit system could not be applied to members of the public who engage in isolated acts of fundraising through sporting events, marathons, cake sales, sales of work and school fundraising. It would not be necessary to force these people to go through a rigorous application process.
Mr Kennedy said he was concerned about people who fundraised in isolated areas once or twice a year. "Surely they do not have to submit to the same accounting responsibilities as a small charity." He was speaking during the resumed debate on the Charities Bill 2007.
Seymour Crawford (FG, Cavan-Monaghan) said that small charities should be allowed present their reports to the regulatory authorities in as simple a form as possible.
