Irish Examiner view: No carte blanche with taxpayers' money

Voluntary groups work tirelessly for the betterment of society but should not be exempt from financial oversight

The National Parents Council Post Primary had its annual funding withheld after its board refused to engage with an external independent review. Picture: Larry Cummins

The thorny issues of oversight and compliance came to the fore again a couple of days ago, this time in relation to the organisation which represents the parents of secondary school students.

As reported by this newspaper, the National Parents Council Post Primary had its annual funding withheld by the Department of Education after its board refused to engage with an external independent review of its financials and governance.

At first glance, this may not seem the most urgent issue facing the Irish public, but there is a resonance here which stretches far beyond the specific case.

Anyone involved in a voluntary organisation will understand the difficulty involved in getting people to give up any of their limited free time, but that commitment — the work done by willing volunteers all over Ireland — is fundamental to the existence of thousands of organisations in this country.

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Accordingly, there will be a good deal of sympathy in many quarters for an organisation such as this parents' group having its finances examined in minute detail.

Yet the presence of exchequer funding makes any debate moot, as exchequer funding is just another way of describing the taxes paid by citizens of this country. 

There can be no question of any organisation, voluntary or not, being given carte blanche with that revenue.

Voluntary groups work tirelessly all over Ireland for the betterment of society, groups that are above reproach when it comes to their financial probity. 

That does not mean such groups should be exempted from robust financial oversight, however, particularly when it comes to their use of tax revenues.