Two animal welfare charities share €500k windfall over ‘royal’ mix-up

A “royal” mix-up has led to a €500,000 windfall for two Limerick animal welfare organisations.

When Elizabeth Burke, with an address at 70 Ailesbury Rd, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, died in Oct, 2011, she sought to make a donation to a particular animal welfare charity in Limerick.

On going through her papers to complete probate, her solicitor discovered that she requested this sizeable sum go to the Limerick branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, no such organisation exists.

The solicitor referred the matter to the Commissioners for Charitable Donations and Bequests to decide who should get the money.

The law states that in such cases, the money has to go to the charity doing the closest kind of work to that identified by the person donating money.

The commissioners were advised that there were two animal welfare organisations in the Limerick area.

The commissioners, who include three High Court judges and a retired Supreme Court judge, decided the woman wished the money to go to animal welfare organisations in Limerick and so the money should be divided between Limerick Animal Welfare and Limerick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A spokesperson said: “There was a problem arising out of the drawing up of the woman’s will as no royal society exists in this country dealing with cruelty to animals.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice added: “By her will, she bequeathed €500,000 to the RSPCA Limerick branch. The difficulty is that there is no such charity.

“In the circumstances, the commissioners have the power, pursuant to section 21 of the Charities Act, to approve a course of action proposed by the executor of the will.”

In handing over a particular issue to the Commissioners for Charitable Donations and Bequests a solicitor has indemnity. It also avoids a matter having to go to court.

The woman’s contacts, if any, with animal welfare in Limerick, are not known.

Neither of the animal welfare organisations could be contacted for comment last night.