PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 15 SEPTEMBER 2022
CHARITY REPRESENTATIVE BODY WARNS OF SERVICE DISRUPTION UNLESS BUDGET 2023 ADDRESSES FUNDING CRISIS
*Maxwell Photography will issue photos to picture desks by 2pm*
The Wheel — Ireland’s national association of charities — today (15 September 2022) called on the Government to set aside €150m in Budget 2023 to protect the core health and social services provided by community and voluntary organisations.
These organisations are experiencing an escalating crisis in funding and staffing, fueled by inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis. Costs are going up as funding levels remain static, and staff are increasingly seeking work in better-paid sectors to address their own rising expenses. Unless state funders address the reality of increased operational costs as part of the upcoming budget, they risk leaving thousands of people without access to vital services.
Speaking at The Wheel’s pre-budget briefing in Dublin, Director of Public Policy Ivan Cooper said that Budget 2023 should not lose focus on Ireland’s more vulnerable people and the supports and services that they rely on – services that are most often provided by community and voluntary organisations, charities, and social enterprises.
“These organisations provide healthcare, home care, disability supports, and mental health services, among many other things,” he said. ‘They're a lifeline for large numbers of older people, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, lone parents, and so many more. These services are essential parts of our society, not optional ones, and they need adequate resources to make sure that people can continue to use them. The resources are simply not in place right now, and many organisations are in crisis because of it.”
In its pre-Budget submission, The Future is Community, The Wheel calls on the Government to
- provide sustainable, multi-annual funding and ensure adequate funding levels for services generally;
- support charity fundraising through realistic tax and VAT measures, including increasing the VAT compensation scheme to €20m;
- continue its action on ever-increasing insurance costs; and
- make all new small-business supports accessible to charities, voluntary bodies, and social enterprises.
In a recent survey of charities conducted by The Wheel,* half of the respondents reported they did not have sufficient funding for existing supports and services in 2022. Almost 70% of these organisations receive some level of statutory funding — for almost half, it accounts for 75% to 100% of their total funding.
Ireland’s 12,000 charities employ over 190,000 people, mobilise over 350,000 volunteers, and contribute over €7bn to the cost of our health and social services every year. Over 1,000 organisations are funded by the HSE to provide essential services in health and disability, and Tusla funds a further 700 organisations in the areas of child welfare and family support. “Most of these organisations have seen service budgets cut or remain frozen over the ten years from 2009 to 2022,” Ivan Cooper pointed out. “These organisations need to be recognised as essential-service providers if they are to continue to provide the high-quality care and support that people require, and the 2023 budget is an opportunity for that recognition.”
#FutureisCommunity
-ENDS-
For more information or to arrange an interview contact Emily Bourke on 085 708 5278.
ABOUT THE WHEEL
The Wheel is Ireland’s national association of charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises.
With over 2,100 members, it is the largest representative body for the charity, community, voluntary and social enterprise sector.
NOTE TO EDITORS
*Survey conducted by The Wheel in October and November 2021. Total respondents: 168.
