Diocesan News
Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork calls for greater State support for Irish Charities
New legal status for charities must not deter voluntary work
Exemption from VAT on certain charitable activities is needed ? Support for Irish Charities? Tax Reform Group recent call for reform
Bishop Paul Colton, Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, called today for the Government to do even more than it is already doing for Irish charities. In particular, he supported the recent submission by the Irish Charities? Tax Reform Group that certain charities and charitable activities should be exempt from payment of V.A.T. Bishop Colton was speaking at the 150th anniversary celebrations of one of Cork?s famous and established charities ? Lapp?s Charity ? of which he is chairperson, and which for 150 years has been providing residential housing for the elderly of Cork.
Bishop Colton said:
?The social fabric of modern Ireland still depends on voluntary charity work.?
?That is no surprise: the State cannot do everything for its people, so charities, community initiative and communal self-help will always be needed. However, charities should receive a just and commensurate contribution for their contribution to the social welfare of our society. It is disrespectful and unjust that some charities are demeaned by having to lobby to secure the funding from the State to provide the State with what are, in fact, essential services, and without which society would be in disarray.?
?In my experience as Chairperson of this charity and of about eleven other charities, while things have improved enormously because of the generally buoyant economic climate, the State could be doing a lot more than it is doing. The promise of a transparent and designated legal structure for charities is a good thing, but new regulations must not become an inhibiting deterrent to charitable activity and voluntary involvement. While many tax exemptions and opportunities do currently apply generously to charities one more would make a significant difference: exemption from VAT for certain charitable activities such as the costs of building new social housing; care of those with special needs; healthcare provision and purchase of medical equipment by charities; care for the elderly and homeless; and, also the preservation of the country?s heritage, such as restoration works on listed Church buildings.?
?The fact of the matter is that this and other exemptions like it already apply elsewhere, in some other European countries: e.g. United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Spain, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Denmark and Slovakia. Why not here??
Further information from:
Sam Wynn,
Diocesan Communications Officer
Telephone: + 353 (0)21 420 1860
E mail: Cork DCO