STATEMENT: Charity services under threat as donations fall and need soars

7 August 2013 – The Wheel, a national network representing over 900 charities, today warned that funding cuts and a drop in public donations are forcing many charities to suspend or cut back on important services. The warning comes as a new survey shows that charities have experienced sharp rise in demand for their services since the beginning of this year.

The survey of 230 charities, conducted by The Wheel in July, found that 64% of charities experienced a decline in their income during the first six months of this year, while 66.7% report an increase in demand for their services over the same period. Almost 33% of the charities surveyed have either suspended or cut back on services in the past six months.

The children's charity Barnardos recently suspended its services for a week, and another weeklong closure may be on the cards later this month. Many charities, including the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Heart Foundation, report a significant decline in donations, and some charities such as the ISPCC have made staff redundant since the beginning of the year.

Commenting on these developments, Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive of The Wheel said: “Charities play an indispensable role in plugging the gaps in Ireland’s welfare system by providing essential public services like housing, support and care for people with disabilities and protection for the vulnerable and socially excluded. They are, in effect, a safety net. If charities are forced to close, the most vulnerable people in our society will have nowhere else to turn,” said Ms Garvey.

The Wheel’s analysis indicate that between 2009 and 2011 State funding for the charity sector fell annually in the order of -8% to -10%. These figures contrast with government spending changes of +6%, -3.2% and -3.2% respectively in those years.

“These disproportionate cuts, coupled with a fall in donations, have led to a situation where vital supports have to be withdrawn at a time when they are most needed. And as a consequence, those who had no hand in the making of this crises are suffering most. We need to ask ourselves: What does this say about us, as a society?” said Ms Garvey.

Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive of The Wheel is available for interview. Contact Gert Ackermann on 086 176 9287 or email gert@wheel.ie

The survey was conducted by The Wheel between 24 July and 3 August 2013.
230 community/voluntary/not-for-profit/charitable organisations completed the online survey

The Wheel is a national organisation that represents and supports community, voluntary and charitable organisations in Ireland. Founded in 1999, we currently represent over 900 organisations across Ireland, reﬂecting the enormous scope and scale of this vibrant and diverse sector.