[2] The commission received the names and details of over 7,000 organisations in Northern Ireland that had previously been granted charitable status for tax purposes (the "deemed list") from HM Revenue & Customs.
Compulsory registration of organisations from the deemed list began in December 2013, and it is expected to take three to four years to complete.
Its main role is to register and regulate the estimated 7,000–10,000 charities working within Northern Ireland.
The regulation and registration of charities in Northern Ireland will bring the region into line with other parts of the United Kingdom.
[7] In the meantime, the Commission was already able to exercise its power to investigate the affairs of charities when abuse or harm is suspected.