Charities that know no borders

NEWSPAPERS — squashed between their larger electronic rivals — can feel at a disadvantage.

But newspapers have natural advantages against their often State-subsidised opponents, and these they should play to the hilt.

When it comes to complex issues, newspapers are nimble and quick.

Your issue of November 13 proved my point.

You took one issue — charities — in a article on organised gangs scouring housing estates and stealing sacks of goods donated to good causes while, in the letters page, a contributor wrote about people becoming increasingly suspicious of dubious charities.

This superficially dull issue is really of some importance. Because the State can’t do everything, charitable status (tax exemptions) allows it to support services that would otherwise not exist.

In the Golden Pages, 40% of those listed are medical charities and patient-support-groups. The big problem is that the EU has broken down borders, and with globalisation we inherit the best and the worst practices in other counties.

The Frankenstein outcome would be to have companies registered in the North but operating in the South. Technically, UK law is poor, but implementation is excellent. South of the border it is vice versa.

In the North you never know what percentage of your money goes to the charity. In the South, the civil service is lackadaisical — you simply don’t have a list of genuine charities. The Golden Pages is the best you’ll get.

With cross-border charities we are getting the worst of both worlds: Six-County law with 26-County implementation — Ruritania with fadas.

Dominic O’Neill

368 Lr Kimmage Road

Dublin 6W