The Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has re-appointed a number of members of the Charity Appeals Tribunal, with effect from 1 September.

Chair Patrick O’Connor (a past-president of the Law Society), and solicitor Carol Fawsitt, have been reappointed for a period of five years.

Arbitrator and Law Society Council member Bill Holohan SC, and Karen Horgan have been reappointed to the tribunal for a four-year period.

Vacancy

It is anticipated that the remaining vacancy on the tribunal will be filled in the coming months.

The Charity Appeals Tribunal is a statutory body established on 1 August 2016.

The function of the tribunal is to hear and adjudicate on appeals against certain decisions of the Charities Regulator, under section 45 of the Charities Act 2009. The tribunal is independent in the performance of its statutory functions.

Section 79 of the Charities Act provides that the tribunal may make its own rules of procedure (with the approval of the Minister for Rural and Community Development). The department also offers secretariat support to the appeals tribunal.