Government must act to ease 'perfect storm' hitting charity sector

Denise Charlton, the new Chief Executive Officer of The Community Foundation for Ireland. Picture: Naoise Culhane

Changes to tax relief and other measures could help charities struggle to make up for fundraising shortfall due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Community Foundation for Ireland.

The body, which has supported communities for more than two decades and which will provide €16m in grants to groups around the country this year, said many charities and voluntary groups needed a lifeline amid the "perfect storm" caused by the pandemic, with a surge in demand for services matched by falls in donations.