Charity sheds staff as cuts leave €700k shortfall

GOVERNMENT cutbacks have left the country’s largest volunteer drug project with a crippling €700,000 shortfall in funds and forced it to let staff go in a bid to protect frontline services.

For the first time, Merchants Quay Ireland will issue an Easter appeal to businesses and private donors for cash. Director Tony Geoghegan said the drug and homeless charity was reviewing its services at a time when increasing numbers were often arriving hungry and in crisis at its doors.

“We’ve reduced all of our non-client services and we have let people go. Each [funding] source has created cuts to various degrees and there’s a huge amount of uncertainty. Our main criteria is to try and protect frontline services. We’re more reliant now on our voluntary income to try and maintain the same level of service,” he said.