Basic needs shouldn’t be serviced by charity, but by state agencies

The Wheel, a resource organisation for charities and voluntary groups, described Section 38 agencies to me as “arms of the State in all but governance”. But shouldn’t all arms of the State be headed by the State? Isn’t governance all important?

YOU’D want to be Scrooge not to support the Government’s decision to put €1 million which remains unspent from the Social Protection budget into the hands of charities. The Vincent de Paul is the main recipient and I suspect most of us are glad of that.

The accounts of our local branch, read out at Mass, gave me a massive wake up call about the desperate need which lies hidden in this leafy suburb. V de P volunteers move with a degree of speed, confidentiality and local knowledge which just would not be available to a State agency.