Charities must ensure there is accountability across the sector in the absence of statutory mechanisms to guide the area, an expert warned today.
Tom O'Higgins, a corporate governance consultant, said responsibility rests with Irish charities to set their own monitoring standards as the present regulatory situation was unsatisfactory.
"What we have is a minimal system, based on Victorian concepts of law and humanitarianism and a series of unconnected regulation," he said.
The seminar on "Good Governance", which was attended by 50 leaders of community and voluntary organisations, heard there is no central body responsible for the regulation of charities in Ireland or any statutory provision for their registration and inspection.
The Government has said the new charity legislation planned for next year will require the creation of a new regulatory body. It is estimated that around 30,000 full-time workers are directly employed in Ireland's community and voluntary sector.
Deirdre Garvey, chief executive of The Wheel, a representative body for the community and voluntary sector in Ireland, said: "Charities welcome the introduction of this new legislation. However, the reality on the ground is that this legislation might take up to three or more years to be enforced.
"Therefore, groups will have to continue to take responsibility themselves for best practice in relation to issues of governance to ensure accountability and transparency."
At the gathering in All Hallows College in Dublin, Ms Garvey said the development of the best possible processes was vital for the community and voluntary sector to ensure organisations deliver the most effective services and ensure public support.