Why risk everything to serve your community?
This is a conservative estimate that overlooks the benefits provided by many groups such as those who provide local festivals, residents’ associations, organise St Patrick’s Day parades, protect our environment or heritage locally, or produce parish books and local histories for generations to come.
As one who spends almost one-third of his waking hours doing voluntary or community work, I was shocked at the recommendation made by the joint Dáil Committee on Arts, Sports, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs as to how they think they can improve my life as a volunteer.
Local volunteer groups are successful because of a work ethic which this Dáil group proposes to reward with more paperwork. Clearly, when paperwork starts, work stops.
The one item that is killing all community activity is the cost of insurance. The fact that community groups have to search an open, hostile market for cover for their voluntary work is a national scandal.
Yet there is not one mention of this in the report.
To deal effectively with the voluntary sector this Dáil committee will have to shed its civil service paperwork mentality and come down to our level where one can lose one’s house in a court case while serving the community.
Paddy Pryle
15 Castleview
Navan
Co Meath
