Senator’s assertions about charities ‘offensive’

Irish charities have hit back at the assertion made by a senior Labour Party figure that the sector is rife with big salaries, exorbitant levels of commission and high administration costs.

Describing the attack by Senator John Whelan as grossly offensive to charity workers and volunteers, a spokesperson for ICTR — the representative organisation for Irish charities — said his statement, on a motion tabled by Labour senators on charity regulation, displays an ignorance of the implementation of the Charities’ Act as well as the realities faced by the charity sector.

“Assertions in the statement of hefty salaries, exorbitant levels of commission and hefty administrative costs are gratuitously offensive to the many, many charities, the people who run them, thousands of volunteers struggling to maintain services for the most needy in society, and the tens of thousands of people who donate to their chosen charity,” said the spokesperson.

“Many charities have barely sufficient funds to continue services in key areas like poverty, health, young people, the elderly, overseas development and emergency aid.”

In a statement the body also said: “It is startling that the Labour senators ignore or seem unaware of developments to introduce regulation by government.”

The ICTR is working with Defence Minister Alan Shatter and his department, “to deliver key components of the act, including a regulatory authority in a cost-effective manner”, it said.

ICTR said charities are regulated and all 7,800 charities registered with Revenue for tax purposes are subject to audit and scrutiny. The sector has also recently developed a fundraising code of practice.

“ICTR wishes to reassure the public and donors generally that good governance is applied by charities and that it is continuing to work with government to improve good governance through the rollout of additional safeguards in the Charities Act 2009,” it said.