Children's charity reveals plummetting donations after charity controversies

A leading children's charity says its donations have plummetted by 30% since the CRC and Rehab controversies.

Tony Heffernan of the Saoirse Foundation says volunteers have been experiencing negative sentiment from the public in recent weeks.

It comes after Rehab's CEO Angela Kerrins was warned that she would have to reveal her salary if the charity is to receive HSE funding this year.

Saoirse CEO, Tony Heffernan, says the charities sector needs to be more accountable.

Fine Gael's Seanad spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke, says it is only a matter of time before Angela Kerins is forced to declare her earnings thanks to new HSE funding rules.

Under the terms of the Service Level Agreement for 2014, organisations will not receive money from the health authority unless they reveal the salaries of senior management.

So far Ms Kerins has declined to state how much she earns, despite pressure from the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

However, Senator Colm Burke says any attempt to keep her salary private will not work.