The Irish Cancer Society has called on the Government to move to appoint a Charities Regulator as soon as possible, saying it is essential to restore public trust in charities and to ensure that the vital services provided by them are not undermined by an erosion of public confidence.

The Society's CEO John McCormack, said that while many charities, including the Irish Cancer Society, operate to the highest standards of governance and have signed up to voluntary codes of practice this is now not enough to restore the public trust which has been broken by recent scandals.

"We have reached the end of the road as far as self-regulation is concerned in the charity world and it is urgent that the Government appoint the charities regulator which has been promised for so long. We are calling on the Government to provide the resources necessary to implement in full the legislation necessary as soon as possible to restore public confidence in how charities operate", he said.

Mr McCormack said was now time for the Government to do its part to ensure that the public trust which is necessary to maintain vital services was restored as soon as possible.