One in four charities fear they cannot carry on in an  ‘overstretched’ sector

Only a quarter of charities surveyed receive multi-annual funding, while most of the rest are reliant on 'short-term arrangements that undermine long-term planning'. File picture

Ireland’s charity sector is “overstretched”, with one in four organisations unsure if they can afford to carry on, according to a survey by the sector’s national association.

This is despite charities employing more than 281,250 people, and contributing a claimed €32bn annually to the economy.