Trusting our charities

CHARITIES cannot survive without public trust. When people donate a portion of their incomes to a worthy cause, they have every right to expect that it will relieve suffering or aid the needy. That the Irish Red Cross should be the latest Irish charity to come under suspicion for betraying that trust, is deeply worrying.

In May, board member Darren Ryan resigned from the charity, citing concerns that ‘restricted funds’ – donated for disaster relief and humanitarian work – were being used for other purposes. In June, the Irish Red Cross announced significant cutbacks to its international arm, raising further legitimate questions regarding its financial management and viability.

If the Irish Red Cross is to maintain public trust, scrupulous management of restricted funds is critical. It is the very least that those who donate to this charity deserve and something that only going public will best guarantee.