Forty charities are owed €70k after collapse of online firm

UP TO 40 registered Irish charities are owed an estimated €70,000 following the collapse of an online charity donation platform which has gone into liquidation.

The High Court heard last Friday that the charities had been contacted as part of the investigation into the liquidation of Dublin-based Pembroke Dynamic Internet Services, a subsidiary of Switzerlandbased fundraising firm Ammado, which was founded by Irishman Peter Conlon.

The Charity Regulator confirmed yesterday that it is in the process of contacting the potentially affected charities to confirm the numbers and amounts involved.

‘We have taken a prudent approach and have potentially identified around 40 Irish registered charities in the listing,’ Charities Regulator CEO John Farrelly said. ‘Their cumulative outstanding balances total around €70,000. However, we believe the actual number of Irish registered charities affected will be lower than the 40.’

The revelation comes as the Irish Mail on Sunday yesterday revealed correspondence which showed Mr Conlon had suggested President Michael D Higgins would be the ‘lead sponsor’ of a Live Aid-style project that was seeking loans from philanthropists. An email to one potential investor read: ‘In strictest confidence, we have asked the Irish President to be the lead sponsor. He is normally precluded from such activity as charity fundraising as they get several requests per week.

‘The President’s office is trying to work a way around this as they love the project from several points of view.’ In a confidential summary of the Digital Live Aid proposal, Mr Conlon described the event as a two-week global fundraising campaign in the form of a two-day digital concert to be streamed online.

A spokesman for President Higgins rejected any suggestion his office had endorsed Mr Conlon’s proposal.

‘Given the nature of Mr Conlon’s proposal, it was clear that it would not be appropriate for the President to be associated with the venture,’ he said.