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Back To Basics: Need Not Want Rules

Back To Basics: Need Not Want Rules By Annette J Dunlea
Published In the Carrigdhoun Newspaper May 2013 p.18
 
Back to basics may seem a bit hippy dippy but with the austerity measures and new taxes and bills coming online I thought it was worth a look. We thought we would never have a poll tax for the luxury of living in a country like England but the property tax came in here swiftly and The Revenue Commisioners were given unprecedented powers to collect it.We  shrugged when we said we would be charged for water but it is on the way.The only thing left is tax for fresh air. We have new taxes and bills go leor to pay.We now need to find money for new bills: telephone, mobile phone bills,broadband,multi channel, rubbish bills, property tax,second cars and credit card bills.With huge unemployment and  high bills we need to look back at the basics and not the luxuries we came to love. We forget all we really need is food,shelter, education/work and healthcare. During the Celtic Tiger I would not be suprised if people got a man in to change a light bulb or move a cupboard. We all thought we were loaded with our plastic friends visa and mastercards and we lived a life we could not afford. We went on foreign holidays Crosser was just not warm enough. We couldn’t be guarranteed the weather!
 
While I have fully embraced new technology I feel we have neglected to preserve some basic survival skills. We need to teach our kids the skill of saving money instead borrowing huge amounts of money for computers,cars and foreign holidays. So many of have forgotten to make clothes and repair essental household items.Everybody male and female should be able to knit and sew,make a garment or pair of curtains or adjust their child’s school uniform.Go back to our grandparent’s time they all had basic household and gardening skills.They mowed the lawn, kept beautiful hedges, grow their basic vegetables from seeds and flowers too. If something broke in the house they repaired it themselves.If the house needed painting they painted it themselves.Believe it or not another basic skill some modern people have not mastered is cooking.Everybody male and female should learn to cook 5 basic meals.The school programme is too geared towards colleges. They should in school learn basic accounting, cooking, gardening, household management,painting,stress management and woodwork skills and they should be an exam subject.Some say keep a careful eye of your budget and expenses.The first and easiest step many people can take to make big savings is to eat less meat. Do not buy processed meals and make your own soups, breads and meals.Sell the car and buy a bike, this may be a step too far for some.Free banking is gone and with all the bank charges use the credit union or post office.
 
We all have basic needs which vary in importance to us.These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food, and sleep.After we obtain these needs next we need to feel safe and secure.Examples of security needs include a desire for steady employment, health care, safe neighborhoods, and shelter from the environment.Then we have social needs.We need to feel a sense of belonging, love, and affection.Relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments, and families help fulfill this need for companionship and acceptance, as does involvement in social, community, or religious groups.Then we have esteem needs say psychologists, the need for things that reflect on self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition, and accomplishment.Then we have self actualisation needs.Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested fulfilling their potential.It is easy to see why the Irish are so angry.Many have lost their jobs and carers, their homes, cars, holidays and lifestyle.My advice is to stay positive and concentrate on what is right in your life, stay active, eat balanced meals, do voulntary work and actively look for work or do a course.
 
Simple living encompasses a number of different voluntary practices to simplify one’s lifestyle. These may include reducing one’s possessions or increasing self-sufficiency. Simple living may be characterized by individuals being satisfied with what they need rather than want.Simple living is distinct from those living in forced poverty, as it is a voluntary lifestyle choice.In Ireland we differ thanks to the bankers and Irish government bankrupting Ireland.Charities say people who once gave to them are now receiving food and help from them.Adherents may choose simple living tell us there are real bonuses from this style of living such as spirituality, health, increase in quality time for family and friends, work–life balance, personal taste, frugality, or reducing personal ecological footprint and stress. Some people practice simple living by reducing consumption. By lowering expenditure on goods or services, the time spent earning money can be reduced. The time saved may be used to pursue other interests, or help others through volunteering. Some may use the extra free time to improve their quality of life, for example pursuing creative activities such as art and crafts, sports and reading.Reducing expenses may also lead to increase savings which can lead to financial ndependence and the possibility of early retirement.
 
How did we lose focus and decide we could buy happiness by keeping up with the Joneses?Though our society often seeks to buy happiness, materialism very frequently fails to satisfy, and may even increase the level of stress in life.Change yout thinking are that time is love and the best things in are free.”The more money you spend, the more time you have to be out there earning it and the less time you have to spend with the ones you love”. One way to simplify life is to get back-to- the-land and grow your own food, as increased self-sufficiency reduces dependency on money and the economy. We have got it so wrong and give huge salaries to bankers and politicans while alot of Irish citizens and workers suffer?Last week a child in Midleton fell from a window and he hadto be driven by a neighbour to South Doc and after that delay the neighbour and parents hadto drive him to Cork University Hospital, where he died last Wednesday. The parents are devastated and cannot bring themselves to tell his sister Holy Communion, who is preparing for her Holy Communion next weekend. The only event being planned in that house is the funeral of her two  year old brother. No money can make that family happy. These government cuts backs are causing very human suffering.The nurses and doctors are short staffed and with slices taken out of their budgets. The same is true of the teachers, gardai, army, navy, civil service etc.The public not pay their mortgages and bills, are cutting back on the basics.It appears these austerity measures are not taken evenly accross the board. The politicans still have huge salaries and expenses that are equivalent to a good man’s salary.A minister who serves in government for as little as 7 gets a liftimes’ pensions, this must stop.Families Across Ireland families must decide to pay for rent/mortgage or buy food. Parents are weighing the cost of child care against the income they can make at a job. Seniors have to choose between paying for their heat or purchasing their food or needed medications.It is hard to empower individuals with the mindset that they can make the future be better than the past. Ireland will be in debt over the bank bailout and property collapse for generations.It is hard for many to see hope.
 
Remember with back to basics you concentrate on the good things in your life and be happy.Happiness, it’s what we all strive to find and keep, even when it’s as elusive as ever. Nobody is happy all the time, but some people are definitely more fulfilled than others. Studies reveal that happiness has little to do with material goods or high achievement; it boils down to your outlook on life, the quality of your relationships, and basic amenities like good governance and community resources.In times of stress examine the situation can you improve it: restructure the debt, rent instead of buying and ask for help.Don’t give in and take care of your body and soul.If you are bored get out and cycle or go for a walk.Why not volunteer with local charity?Eat as well as you possibly can. Even if you have very little money, make it a point to eat a more balanced, more healthy diet than you do when all is well. Lots of greens and colored vegetables, and a variety of fruit and nuts, are all super healthy for you, and they’re much less expensive than meats, cheeses, and processed foods!Cut back on the caffeine drinks and alcohol. You don’t need to quit, but cutting back will help reduce chemically induced anxiety and stress, and smooth any recovery time.Exercise your body. It may be a sport you enjoy, yoga, cross training, or even a simple walk in the park. But keeping your body active will help your outlook.Throw yourself into a hobby you enjoy. Whether it’s art, photography, music appreciation, writing or cooking.
 
Remember to be optimistic. Some people have a higher baseline happiness level than others, and that is due in part to genetics, but it’s also largely influenced by how you think.Add up all the little happy things that happen to you during the day. For example, there was no traffic on the road, you had a nice breakfast, your friend said something funny that made you laugh, you took your dog for a walk in the park and played with it. All of these added together account to one big happiness.Look at the glass half-full instead of half-empty.Put yourself in situations where good things are likely to happen to you. It’s easier to stay optimistic if you set yourself up for success. Go and do a free government course , register with job agencies and Fas. Do a community employment scheme or join a group mix with others in your situation and see how they are coping.Think of your current situation  and then think of how much harder some other people have it. Just be happy that you are not in that worse situation. Learn to enjoy your life!Next time you have a decision to make, and you’re down to two or three options, just pick the one that feels right, and go with it. Never regret the decisions you make, though. Just live by the 3 C’s of life: choices, chances, and changes. You need to make a choice to take a chance, or your life will never change.Once you make enough to support basic needs, your happiness is not significantly affected by how much money you make, but by your level of optimism.Treat your body like it deserves to be happy.People who are physically active have higher incidences of enthusiasm and excitement.Scientists hypothesize that exercise causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that elevate our mood.Eat right. Eating healthy foods — fruits and vegetables, lean meats and proteins, whole grains, nuts, and seeds — gives your body and brain the energy it needs to be healthy. .Stay close to friends and family.Compassion is all about doing something kind for someone in need, or someone less privileged than yourself. A brain-imaging study (where scientists peek into people’s brains while they act or think) revealed that people gain as much happiness from watching others give to charity as they do receiving money themselves!Have deep, meaningful conversations. Find happiness in the job you have now: Many people expect the right job or career to dramatically change their level of happiness. But research makes it clear that your levels of optimism and quality of relationships eclipse the satisfaction gained from your job.Science suggests that when you smile, whether you’re happy or not, your mood is elevated.  So smile all the time if you can! Smiling is like a feedback loop: smiling reinforces happiness, just as happiness causes smiling.Forgive: In a study of college students, an attitude of forgiveness contributed to better cardiovascular health. You could say forgiveness literally heals the heart. While it is unknown how forgiveness directly affects your heart, the study suggests that it may lower the perception of stress. Make friends. In a 2010 study published by Harvard researchers in American Sociological Review, people who went to church regularly reported greater life satisfaction than those who didn’t. The critical factor was the quality of friendships made in church. Church-goers who lacked close friends there were no happier than people who never went to church. When researchers compared people who had the same number of close friends, those who had close friends from church were more satisfied with their lives  
 
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Irish Charities

Inside Irish Charities: Some Interesting Facts by Annette J Dunlea
Published In The Carrigdhoun Newspaper 8th June 2013 p.18

What do we know about Irish charities? 59,600 directors serve on the boards of Irish nonprofit companies. Board membership in the sector is almost invariably unpaid.Of the nonprofit companies currently trading, 70 were incorporated prior to 1950; 3,571 were incorporated between 1950 and 1999; 4,934 were incorporated between 2000 and the first quarter of 2010. Of the recently- established nonprofit companies, many are local development organisations – enterprise, partnership and community development companies and many others set up with government funds to deliver local supports.The total reported income of the nonprofit companies in the Irish Nonprofits Database in 2009 was €5.75 billion.Reported assets held by the nonprofit companies amounted in 2009 to €3.4 billion, of which cash totaled €1.7 billion.951 companies reported a negative asset position, collectively totaling €152 million in net liabilities.

In 2009, all of the amounts below are certainly an understatement of the true position. Of those nonprofit companies that report the sources of their income:42 report receiving legacies and bequests to a net value of €7.3 million, in amounts varying from €795 to €1,254,466 – a mean average of €172,951.24 report receiving donations in kind to a net value of €100 million – a mean average of €4,182,868.733 report “donations” in values ranging from €10 to €6,916,903, with total reported donations in 2009 valued at €77 million.Grants, whether from State or private philanthropic sources, are by far the single largest source of income. Grants are reported as a source of income by 2,886 nonprofit companies at a combined level of €2bn, with:443 organisations reporting total grant income of less than €10,000,555 reporting grant income of between €10,000 and €50,000,1,441 reporting grant income between €51,000 and €.5 million, and 433 reporting grant income in excess of €.5 million.

The profile of employment numbers suggests a sector of SMEs:1,458 nonprofit companies employ 5 people or fewer.1,606 employ between 6 and 50 people.90 employ between 51 and 99 people.Just over 100 nonprofits employ more than 100 people.The accounts of about 3,500 nonprofit companies report neither staff numbers nor payroll costs, thus indicating that they operate on an entirely voluntary basis.No data are yet publicly available about employment levels in the 3,700 unincorporated charities which enjoy tax-­?exempt status from Revenue. The total wages and salaries expenditure in Irish nonprofit companies in 2009 was €3.7bn, with a further €290m remitted in employers’ PRSI. FAS contributed €151m, in reported grants to 477 nonprofit companies.Three out of every four people donate to charity in the Republic but giving levels are falling significantly due to the economic recession, a new survey shows.

Sheila Nordon, the executive director of the Irish Charities Trust Research, a membership organisation of charities focused on creating a policy climate in which philanthropy can thrive, says it is considered good practice for charities to indicate overall salaries in their annual reports, as well as the number of staff earning over a certain threshold, but such disclosure is not mandatory. She believes donors have the right to know where their money is going and that if they make a reasonable query, they should be answered.

The Irish Examiner made what it considered a number of reasonable queries in relation to the kind of packages offered to the chiefs executive of some of our leading charities. Out of 24 surveyed, six refused to release the information, mainly on the basis that they do not disclose individual remuneration details. Unicef Ireland declined on the basis of being “bound by confidentiality”.These are the huge salaries they discovered.All these figures are published in 2009, the most recent statistics made available publically. TRÓCAIRE’s Chief executive Justin Kilcullen Salary in 2010 was €146,191 and in 2011: €133,605. Expenses 2010 & 2011: Vouched out-of-pocket only. No figures supplied. Bonus payments: None. Pension entitlements: Based on 1/60th of final salary for each year of pensionable service. ST VINCENT DE PAUL-Services for those experiencing poverty and social exclusion.National Director is Kieran Murphy earns a salary 2010 & 2011: N/A. Salary range 2009 = €105,000 to €110,000.Expenses 2010 and 2011: Vouched out-of-pocket only. No figures supplied. Bonus payments: None.Pension entitlements: Defined contribution scheme to which the society contributes a max of 5% of salary.

Some would not share what they did with the public donations.SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND-Sports organisation for people with intellectual disability.Its Chief executive is Matt English. A spokesperson said: “Special Olympics Ireland has chosen not to get involved with this article.” SIMON COMMUNITIES OF IRELAND -Charity dedicated to ending homelessness. Acting chief executive: Patrick Quinn.Refused to divulge details of chief executive’s package on basis that it doesn’t reveal details of individual remunerations.

OXFAM IRELAND is an International humanitarian agency.Its Chief Executive is Jim Clarken, also executive director of Oxfam International and non-paid chair of Dóchas.His salary in 2010 was €90,000 is set by Oxfam Ireland’s board and is not linked to organisational income.Salary 2011: No change. Expenses 2010/2011: Vouched travel expenses. JACK AND JILL FOUNDATION provides care and support for children with severe neurological development issues, as well as offering some respite to families. Its Chief executive is Jonathan Irwin who earned a salary 2010 of €88,200.Salary 2011: No change.Expenses 2010: €17,494, of which €4,048 relates to mileage using own car.Expenses 2011: €12,638 (up to August) of which €3,818 relates to mileage.All expenses are vouched and paid by Visa. ISPCC -(Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)provides support services for and advocates on behalf of children and young adults. Its Chief executive is Ashley Balbirnie. A spokesperson said the board made a decision not to release the information requested other than to say that the chief executive has “a flat salary arrangement and there is no company car provided or any bonus structure included” and that the ISPCC fundraises in excess of 90% of its funding.

IRISH WHEELCHAIR ASSOCIATION is a charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with physical disabilities. Its Chief executive is Kathleen McLoughlin.Her Salary 2010/2011 was €146,191. Ms McLoughlin is on secondment from the civil service where her substantive grade is principal officer. During her employment with the IWA, it has been contractually agreed that she will be paid the salary of assistant secretary. She is paid at the maximum point of this scale (€127,796 to €146,191).Expenses 2010: €219.69.Expenses 2011: None up to August.Bonus payments: None.Pension entitlements: Ms McLoughlin retains her pension entitlement at principal officer level. Additionally, she has access to the IWA’s defined contribution scheme to provide her with pension benefit on the additional salary up to assistant secretary level.

IRISH HOSPICE FOUNDATION supports the development of hospice and palliative care.Its Chief executive is Sharon Foley (appointed May 2011).Her Salary in 2010 was €101,350 (linked to civil service principal officer grade). Salary 2011: No change. Expenses 2010: €3,091.29 (vouched). Expenses 2011: €1,134.16 to end of August (vouched). Bonus payments: €17,800 in 2010. Paid only if certain pre-established targets are reached. Pension entitlements: Chief executive makes own contribution plus 10% contribution by charity. Company car: None. Charity income 2010: €5.35m. Amount paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: €24.19=. IRISH GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND provides services to people who are blind or vision impaired and to the families of children with autism.Its Chief executive is Padraig Mallon (and acts as company secretary and HR manager). His salary in 2010/2011: was €85,000 to €100,000.Expenses 2010/2011: Vouched. No figures supplied. Bonus payments: None. Pension entitlements: IGDB operates a matched pension scheme. Employees make contributions of 5%. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: 0.2% of total income.

IRISH CANCER SOCIETY is a national cancer care charity focused on achieving world-class cancer care. Its Chief executive is John McCormack. Mr McCormack also sits on a number of boards in his capacity as chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, for which he does not receive any director’s fees. His Salary in 2010 was €145,000. Salary 2011: No change since 2009.Expenses 2010: €6,600 (vouched). Expenses 2011: €1,200 up to August. Expenses costs include the cost of a company car. Bonus payments: None. Pension entitlements: All staff are members of the ICS pension scheme. Company car: Mazda 3 2008. Charity income 2010: €17.5m. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: €8.28. GORTA is an Overseas development agency. Its Chief executive is Brian Hanratty. His Salary in 2010/2011 was less than €100,000. There was a pay freeze for all staff for the last three years. Expenses 2010/2011: N/A.Bonus payments: None. Pension entitlements: Gorta does not comment on individual arrangements. Company car: None.

GOAL is an International humanitarian agency .Its Chief executive was John O’Shea.His Salary 2010 was not available.In 2011:a statement noted that no member of GOAL earns in excess of €100,000 per annum. Expenses 2010/2011: Chief executive does not have an expense account. Bonus payments: None. Pension entitlements: Defined contribution scheme. Company car: 2007 Nissan Tiida purchased a year ago for €7,000. It is owned by GOAL.

FOCUS IRELAND works to advance rights of the homeless. Its Chief executive is Joyce Loughnan whose salary in 2010/2011 is €125,000 .Her expenses in 2010 was €3,245 (travel), Expenses in 2011 was €2,404 up to August. All staff are covered by the same expense rules. Expenses for work-related travel are reimbursed in accordance with the Revenue Commissioners mileage rates. Bonus payments: None. Pension entitlements: All staff are members of the defined contribution scheme. Focus Ireland makes a standard employers contribution to this scheme of 7% of pensionable salary (ie, 7% of salary minus 1.5 times the state pension rate).Company car: None. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: €6.89. For every euro Focus Ireland receives, 91c is spent directly on services.

ENABLE IRELAND -Provides services to children and adults with disabilities. Chief executive: Fionnuala O’Donovan.Salary 2011: €156,340. Waived a pay increase of 2.5% in 2008. Took a further cut in January 2010 to bring her salary into line with the public service cut of 12%. Expenses 2010/2011: Travel only and based on recorded mileage paid at public sector mileage rates. Bonus payments: Has not availed of the 10% bonus available to all senior public sector grades. Pension entitlements: Contributory defined benefit pension scheme. Company car: None. Charity income 2010: €50.4m. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: 0.3% of total income.

COPE FOUNDATION provides services for 1,800 children and adults with intellectual disability and autism. Its Chief executive is Colette Kelleher (appointed April 2011). Her salary in 2011 was €130,000. Her expenses in 2011 only €260 (vouched). Bonus payments: None.Pension entitlements: Nominated Health Agency Superannuation Scheme. This is a contributory pension scheme and provides the following benefits: 1/80th of salary per year of service (max 40 years).Lump sum: 3/80ths of salary per year of service (max 40 years).Company car: None. Charity Income 2010: €63.9m. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of income: €1.96.

CONCERN is an International humanitarian agency.Its Chief executive is Tom Arnold.His Salary in 2010 was €130,000 (based on assistant secretary grade in the public service). His Salary in 2011 did not change. His Expenses for 2010/ 2011 were Vouched for but no official figures were supplied. It is Concern policy to fly economy class and use public transport where available. Bonus payments: None.Pension entitlements: The chief executive is on secondment from the Department of Agriculture where he was assistant secretary general. Concern maintains his pension rights under that scheme.Company car: None. Charity income 2010: €167m. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: €0.78.

BROTHERS OF CHARITY SERVICES IRELAND provides services and supports to people with intellectual disability and autism and their families. National chief executive is Winifred O’Hanrahan.Salary 2010/2011: The HSE scale applicable to the national chief executive of the Brothers of Charity is a four-point scale from €19,901 to €37,927. Expenses 2010/2011: No bonus, unvouched expenses or overtime payments are attached to the post. All travel and subsistence are aligned to rates approved by the Department of Health. Bonus payments: See above. Pension entitlements: Nominated Health Agency Superannuation Scheme. This is a contributory pension scheme and provides the following benefits: 1/80th of salary per year of service (max 40 years). Lump sum: 3/80ths of salary per year of service (max 40 years). Basic salary is subject to the public sector pension deduction. Company car: None. Total budget 2010: €187,618,979.In 2010 the national chief executive’s salary represented 0.07% of the total annual budget.

BÓTHAR is an overseas aid agency that specialises in livestock production and supports support related training and development. Its Chief executive is David Moloney. They declined to release remuneration package details on the basis that they “do not individualise details of remuneration packages to any of the staff in our accounts”. Charity income for year ended June 30, 2010: €7.7 million.

BARNARDOS provides services to children and families in need.Its Chief executive is Fergus Finlay. His salary in 2010 was €113,315 (equivalent to 5th point on salary scale of HSE assistant national director). His Salary in 2011did not change.His Expenses in 2010 were €7,900 on outgoings such as accommodation and cost of travel (including petrol) and contribution towards car maintenance (vouched — uses his own car). Mileage for 2010 was 25,000.Expenses 2011: N/A.Bonus payments: None.Pension entitlements: Chief executive contributes a portion of his salary to a defined contribution scheme. Company car: None.Charity income 2010: €24 million.No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: €4.70.

ARTHRITIS IRELAND’s Chief executive is John Church.They refused to divulge any details.A spokesperson said: “We don’t disclose remuneration details of any staff.”ALZHEIMER SOCIETY OF IRELAND-Provides services to people with all forms of dementia, to their families and to their carers.Its Chief executive is Maurice O’Connell. His Salary in 2010 was €121,200. Salary 2011: No change.Expenses 2010: €1,877.Expenses 2011: None.Bonus payments: Not applicable.Pension entitlements: Defined contribution — 5% contributed by the society.Company car: A Honda until December 2011 when arrangement ends as a cost saving exercise.Charity income 2010: €17.8 million.No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of the charity’s income: €6.80.

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND OF IRELAND provides services for people with sight loss. Its chief executive is Des Kenny.His Salary in 2010 was €127,184.His Salary in 2011 was €125,326.His Expenses in 2010 was €1,120 but he had none for 2011.Mr Kenny does not drive, does not receive a payment in lieu of a car allowance and must vouch for travel expenses.Bonus payments: None in 2010 or 2011. Pension entitlements: Defined benefit. Own contribution of 5%. Company contribution N/A. Company car: None. Charity income 2010: €15.2m. No of euro paid to chief executive per €1,000 of charity income: €8.26.

All Community, Voluntary and Charitable (CVC) Organisations have a responsibility to provide and follow a code of good practice when it comes to how their organisations are run. It is the responsibility of the people who run the organisation, usually called the board or management committee – to make sure this happens.Up to now, there have been no clear guidelines to help people on the boards of such organisations to run their organisations and well run CVC organisations have not had access to a tool which allows them to demonstrate their high standards of governance to their stakeholders. In the past some organisations have failed and been embarrassed through being run poorly and this can shatter public confidence and trust. This is why they have joined forces to put in place a Governance Code – which has been created for the sector by the sector.Governance refers to how an organisation is run, directed and controlled. Good governance means an organisation will design and put in place policies and procedures that will make sure the organisation runs effectively.All charities should adopt this policy.The following organisations from the Community, Voluntary and Charitable Sector were active members of the Working Group:Boardmatch Ireland,Business in the Community,Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups,Clann Credo,Disability Federation Ireland,Irish Charities Tax Reform,Volunteer Ireland and The Wheel.These organisations all have an expertise, interest and track record of supporting organisations in the community, voluntary and charity sector to improve their governance practice.

Bogus collectors are a menace. Whether they drop bogus leaflets looking for donations, steal donations intended for legitimate charities or steal from clothes recycling banks, they are cleaning up at the expense of charities that are already struggling to generate the income needed to provide support for those who need it most.Paul Hughes, spokesperson for the Irish Charity Shops Association (ICSA) said “the public need to know that when they donate clothes, it is the charity that benefits most and not some commercial operator. Five of our members operate clothes banks; Enable Ireland, Oxfam, St. Vincent de Paul, NCBI and Liberties Recycling. All of the profits that these registered charities generate go to support the most marginalised people in society.”member charities operate over 320 charity shops across the country, all of whom will be delighted to receive donations of clothes and household items directly from the public.

Breast Cancer Ireland and the ISPCC have signed agreements with private operators which collect clothes from bring banks and use the charities’ names and logos. In return, the charities receive an annual fee from the private operators.Charities which run clothes banks in partnership with private operators have pledged to review their arrangements following criticism that most of the profits generated are not going to charitable causes.The move follows a report by RTÉ’s Prime Time which reported that the vast majority of money generated from clothes banks run by Breast Cancer Ireland and the ISPCC was going to private operators.Industry-wide figures indicate that clothes banks in Ireland generate an average of about €7,000 each on an annual basis for charities which sort and sell second-hand clothes themselves.However, Breast Cancer Ireland and the ISPCC have signed agreements with private operators which collect clothes from bring banks and use the charities’ names and logos.In return, the charities receive an annual fee from the private operators. Both charities have declined to say how much they receive, insisting the figures are commercially sensitive.An analysis of available information, however, suggests the vast majority of money generated is going to their commercial partners.Yesterday, Breast Cancer Ireland said it planned to discuss options with its private partner, Textile Recycling Ltd, next week, aimed at improving transparency. It said measures could include putting a sticker on each bin, providing a breakdown of what percentage of revenue goes to charity. It says it will make this move mandatory in any future contract it signs.“Our contract with Textile Recycling Ltd expires in March 2014, at which time we will tender the project and the company that succeeds will have to provide full transparency going forward,” a spokeswoman said.

A leading charity boss slammed Justice Minister Alan Shatter for failing to introduce an “urgently needed” charities regulator.Deirdre Garvey of umbrella group The Wheel, representing 900 Irish charities, said her members were “extremely disappointed” that Mr Shatter has “more or less abandoned” the Government’s 2009 pledge to set up a regulator.Environment Minister Phil Hogan also called on his cabinet colleague to “prioritise” the creation of the regulator so there would be “greater transparency” amongst organisations that get hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds.Ms Garvey and Mr Shatter were speaking at the launch a new corporate governance code for charities, voluntary and community organisations.The voluntary code includes broad guidelines on “being transparent and accountable”, but falls far short of demands in the UK, where standard information on charities’ finances is available online at the Charity Commission’s website. Dochas director Hans Zomer, who represents 49 overseas charities, said Ireland was “unique” internationally in not having a charities’ regulator, while Mr Hogan said he could see “lots of benefits for everybody” for setting up a regulator.

Mr Shatter, who has responsibility for charity regulation, has insisted that it would be “too costly” to set up an Irish regulator given the restrictions of the EU/ IMF bailout programme. His department this week admitted there were no estimates for how much the regulator would cost, while sources close to the EU/IMF teams insisted they had “never” discouraged a charities regulator.The 2009 Charities’ Act provides for a fee to be levied on charities to cover the regulator’s running costs. The Department of Justice’s 2012 budget also includes about €400,000 for charity regulation.In the absence of any Irish rules, the UK’s Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) has been adopted by Dochas, an umbrella group for 49 overseas aid charities, and several domestic charities.We need a regulator and the new charity legislation to be implemented and enforced.

WITH a reputation for generosity that puts us ahead of many of our international counterparts, the Irish public is not shy when it comes to supporting good causes.Our record for supporting overseas development is well recognised — a report published in July 2010 by Global Humanitarian Assistance ranked Ireland as the fourth most generous in terms of donations per citizen.But overseas crises are not the only reason we dig deep — here at home, charities supporting the disabled, the homeless, the sick, the young and vulnerable, the impoverished — all benefit from an estimated €500 million donated annually to Irish charities.Those who donate do so in good faith and in the expectation that their money will go towards those the charity purports to support. This is at the heart of the statement of guiding principles for fundraising, a guide devised by the charity industry to offer donors and potential donors clarity on what they may expect from the charity, its representatives (whether voluntary or paid) and its management.

Good things are happening in the Irish charity sector. ICTR:THE GOOD FORM, a brand new charity taxback initiative launched by a consortium of Irish charities, aims to bolster fundraising figures but at no extra cost to the Irish donor.Irish Charities Tax Reform Group is a leadership organization working on behalf of charities to enhance the conditions for a vibrant and independent charity sector in Ireland. ICTRG promotes the implementation of policies to optimize the financial value of donations (by charity friendly tax reform) and underpin public and donor confidence in charities.Our sister organisation ICTR has carried out research on VAT and Charities, tax relief on donations and, on how regulation of fundraising by means of Codes of Practice can work in Ireland. ICTR has been closely involved at all stages of the development of the Charities Act 2009 and is now firmly focused on implementation issues.

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The Collapse Of Croke Park 2–Why and What Next?

The Collapse of Croke Park 2: Enough Is Enough.Bankers And Politicians Please Come Forward by Annette J Dunlea
Published In The Carrigdhoun Newspaper 11th May 2013 p.18

The proposals in Croke Park 2 were too harsh to be accepted by workers.The Irish workers voted against it.The reforms included :reduction in Overtime Rates from time and half to flat rate,Reduction in Sunday Premium Payments from double time to Time and a half.Abolition of Saturday Rate and Twilight Payments.Three Year full increment freeze and compulsory exits, redeployment to 100K.There were reformed Pension Entitlements for serving staff,elimination of allowances, significant pay cuts. Increase of 5 extra hours for alles and a wide range of reform measures across all sectors.This will involve a further reduction of some €1 billion in the cost of the pay and pensions bill over the 3 years from 2013 to 2015. Under this Agreement further sustainable reform measures will be implemented in the following areas: redeployment, performance management,flexible working arrangements. Changes to work/sharing arrangements and workforce restructuring.

Shame on Labour and The Trade Unions who recommended the acceptance of Croke Park 2. It goes against the ethos of the Labour Party and trade union’s philosophy.We hear nothing about the bankers who broke the country and who are paying themselves huge salaries. It was not the public service who bankrupt this country or the civil service who have being hit by pay cuts and budget cuts and huge budget decreases in their workplace. Peopel are hurting, their homes are in negative equity.The full property tax is payable next year and water charges are on the way.

Enda Kenny says the rejection of the Croke Park 2 public pay deal means public sector workers no longer have any automatic protection against mandatory redundancies.Kenny suggest that the government now believes the original Croke Park agreement which was due to run until June 2014, and which ruled out any mandatory redundancies is now void.The Taoiseach also defended the presentation of revised Budget figures which included the Croke Park 2 pay cuts, which were published even after public workers voted to reject the proposals for saving €300 million.Martin claimed the government was ready to proceed with unilateral pay cuts, and that laws cutting pay and pensions for public workers were being drafted and ready to go if LRC chairman Kieran Mulvey’s talks with union representatives did not lead to a second round of pay negotiations.He said this was in spite of the government’s insistence that the rejected Croke Park 2 deals could only be ‘tweaked’ rather than facing a total overhaul.The Taoiseach’s comments followed those of Pat Rabbitte, who this morning said the rejection of the Croke Park 2 agreement meant “theoretically” the government could pursue job cuts.He added, however, “there’s no particular will on the part of government to remove that protection from public sector workers,” he told RTÉ.Opposition parties say Brendan Howlin shouldn’t have compiled Budget figures assuming that Croke Park 2 would be accepted.Brendan Howlin has insisted that the €300 million savings need to be found – but opposition TDs yesterday walked out of an Oireachtas committee saying they could not scrutinise spending arrangements which incorporated the now-rejected pay deal.Meanwhile trade unions have threatened industrial action if the government legislates for pay cuts.Proposals in the now defunct Croke Park II deal had included salary cuts for those earning over €65,000 as well as reductions in overtime and allowances.

While it was still policy of the Irish government to seek pay cuts as part of €1 billion in reductions over three years, it had not yet been decided to use legislation to impose these.The Government had to secure €300 million in pay cuts this year because they were built into this year’s budget figures, said Mr Noonan: “We have to get those savings. We are going to talk about it on Tuesday at Cabinet.”The Minister said there was no urgency to agree an alternative plan as the cuts did not have to be implemented until July. “I would have much preferred obviously if it had went through on the vote because it is much easier to deal with on that basis. The fortunate thing is that the decision was taken in April – it is a good distance to July,” he said.

The Civil Public and Services Union’s annual conference will discuss how to act now that Croke Park 2 has been rejected.ts 13,000 members voted 86-14 against the deal.Members will also consider whether to pursue industrial action if the Government attempts to change their terms and conditions without prior approval.However, workers openly rejected the plan’s proposals to extend the working week, delay incremental pay increases for most workers, and reduce allowances and other premium payments.a number of points concerned them.The text notes that savings of €1.5 billion were delivered in the first two years of the Croke Park Agreement. No reference is made to the failure to review a possible restoration of pay for earnings of €35,000 as provided for in the text of the original Agreement.However 1.14 provides for the provisions of the Agreement to be revisited where circumstances arise which have implications for the Agreement. This amounts to an ‘unforeseen economic circumstances’ get out clause.For the bulk of our members the new net week is 37 hours an increase of 2.25 hours. This equates to an average cut of 6% in the hourly rate of pay for a CO. The gross weekly hours will increase accordingly.The increase in hours will facilitate further reductions in staff numbers.For those earning up to €35,000 including allowances in the nature of pay overtime will now be paid at time and a half but using the first point (first increment) of the scale regardless of your actual point .For those earning above €35,000 including allowances in the nature of pay overtime will now be paid at time and a quarter but on the officer’s actual incremental point.The overtime rate to be applied will be calculated using the new gross of 43.25 hours as the divisor and not 41 hours as heretofore.For the very small number of our members who may be affected the Sunday Double Time premium has been cut to Time and Three Quarters.Twilight or evening payments will no longer be paid.A three month freeze will be applied to all increments due on earnings up to €35k including all allowances in the nature of pay with effect from after your next increment date. This means you will wait 15 months for another increment to be paid after your next increment is due.

Where your earnings including allowances in the nature of pay move above €35k during the three years of the agreement a second three month freeze will apply in line with the bullet point following.For those on earnings above €35k including all allowances in the nature of pay but less than €65k two three month freezes will apply. This means a 15 month wait after your next increment is due/paid and then a second 15 month wait after that increment is paid i.e. a six month freeze overall.For those on the max of their incremental scales including all allowances in the nature of pay the officer will either lose 6 Annual Leave days over the three years of the agreement or forfeit a cash deduction from salary equal to the value of 6 days annual leave or half of the most recent increment paid whichever is the lesser.For those whose earnings are between €35k and €65k including all allowances in the nature of pay and who reach the max of their scale after having had an initial three month freeze or 15 month incremental period a three day reduction in annual leave will be applied or the officer may opt for a deduction in pay equal to the value of three days annual leave or a quarter of the most recent increment whichever is the lesser.

Croke Park 2 Proposals:
·There will be full co-operation with the allowance review with central negotiations on measures to recognise the loss caused by the elimination of pensionable allowances. Clarification is required on this as its unclear as to what allowances of our members are affected.
· Travel & Subsistence rates are to be reviewed with a view to standardising across the Public Service.
· Public Service Pensions in payment above €32,500 will be reduced. This does not affect our retired members.
· The use of outside consultants is to be curtailed by maximising the use of internal expertise.
· New Entrant Scales are to be adjoined to the existing scales to address the two tier pay structure now in place. This would appear to be nothing more than adding new lower points to the existing scales.
· A small gesture towards easing the burden of the pension levy has been agreed reducing the deduction from 5% to 2.5% on earnings between €15k and €20k. This will amount to about €125 per year.
Redeployment
· Workforce Planning will become the norm within ECF figures assisting management to identify skill deficits and staff surpluses.
· Changes will be made to the original Redeployment protocols
· Each Department will establish the number of surplus posts and their location and then identify the individual staff to be redeployed by firstly seeking volunteers to go on the PAS Redeployment panel and secondly by Last In First Out or LIFO.
· “Best Fit” by location will be applied.
· Individual Officers rather than ‘posts surplus’ will be recorded on the PAS Resource Panel with each officer required to submit his/her CV to establish suitability for a given vacancy.
· An appeal process for cross-sectoral assignment will be established but an officer will be required to take up assignment pending the outcome of the appeal.
· 45km will be the ‘guideline’ threshold distance but from either the home or the existing location. This is a significant negative change and could mean officers travelling 90km to the new work location rather than the 45 km currently in place.
· A threat of Disciplinary Action has been introduced where an officer refuses an assignment under the new redeployment protocol. The option of turning down two offers appears to have been cut from the agreement.
· Where redeployment is not an option for an officer or where ‘business needs’ do not allow voluntary redundancy may be applied. This is a form of compulsory redundancy in effect or what might be described as ‘constructive redundancy’ to borrow a descriptor from Unfair Dismissal legislation.
Work-sharing
· Management will have discretion to alter, reduce and/or standardise the range of work sharing patterns
· No pattern shall be less than 50%
· Those with existing patterns below 50% will be moved to 50% plus patterns within the 12 months following July 1st 2013.
· An existing work-sharer will have his/her pattern reviewed on an annual basis and where one has not yet taken place it will be completed by the end of this year.
· Management may alter or change a pattern by giving three months’ notice. On business needs grounds and with reasonable notice management may refuse work sharing, require a variation of existing pattern or require a resumption of full-time duties.
Flexitime
· The Agreement provides that Flexible Working arrangements (FWA) will be revised to provide for greater flexibility.
· All areas must be appropriately staff during the working days including lunch breaks and FWA will be adjusted accordingly.
· FWA will continue for all grades up to and including HEO
· Core bands may be changed to reflect extended hours working and to meet business needs following local consultation. This will include the provision of services for longer periods and in the light of the 2.25 extra working hours per week.
· Flexi carry over is reduced to one day per period from one and a half.
· Flexi attendance for the work up additional hours should only be where such attendance is justified by work being available and necessary.
· Management may restrict the operation of FWA following local discussions in line with business needs.
PMDS
· The PMDS will be deepened and in particular greater emphasis will be placed on mangers delivering on their role.
Work Restructuring
· Proposals for the restructuring of grades will be brought forward by 2014.
· Management numbers will be reduced by increasing the ration of staff to managers.
· There will be flexibility around grade demarcation. This all raise the spectre of downgrading of duties to lower grades e.g. EO to CO.
Outsourcing
· The Agreement now provides for unions to be consulted before tendering and any decisions being made on same.
· A joint review of the arrangements on outsourcing if deemed necessary and is to be completed within 3 months of the review commencing.
Exit Mechanisms
· The Agreement confirms compulsory redundancies will not apply but subject to some exceptions
· Full flexibility in the context of the changes to Redeployment in the Agreement is delivered. Where redeployment is not an option and taking account of the business needs ‘voluntary redundancy’ will be appropriate.
· Flexibility in attendance outside the conditioned hours may be required to cope with work requirement. To handle this, the extra attendance hours (2.25 per week) may be accumulated or ‘banked’ with the officer working a reduced week over a period hereby ‘owing’ the hours which will be used during peak work requirement periods including attendance outside the new conditioned hours and days. This opens the potential for hours to be stored for use instead of overtime Monday to Friday but also on Saturdays, but without any additional payment.
· The Agreement provides for the introduction of more flexible patterns of attendance subject to detailed workplace consultation This provision my lead locally to an extension of the working day beyond the 9 – 5.45 and also require Saturday working.
· While Saturday is not a normal work day the Agreement provides subject to consultation locally for ‘banked’ hours to be used on a Saturday to clear peak work demand such as backlogs etc. 8 weeks’ notice will be given before any accumulated or ‘banked’ hours are used to clear such demand. In sections where peak demand is a regular occurrence it is anticipated that such attendance requirements will be identified at the start of the year to facilitate the build-up of ‘banked’ hours for use to clear peak demand. If agreement on the use of ‘banked’ hours cannot be reached locally the binding arbitration provisions of the Agreement will be utilised.
· Sunday will not be used in this fashion and overtime as adjusted in the Agreement will apply.CPSU Delegates also passed a motion instructing the executive to bring a motion to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions condemning the Labour Party for imposing called severe cuts and hardship on workers.The motion also calls on Congress to use the centenary of the 1913 lockout to publicly condemn Labour policies and disassociate itself from the Labour Party – and wants other Congress unions to do the same.It also states that no invitation should be extended to Tánaiste and Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore to attend this year’s ICTU Biennial Conference in July.The motions were passed by an overwhelming majority.Earlier the union voted unanimously to ballot for industrial action if the Government proceeds to impose cuts unilaterally, and oppose any attempt to tweak Croke Park II.It also calls for further campaigning for higher taxes for the wealthy.

The CPSU leadership said the redeployment provisions in the new proposal would amount to “constructive” redundancy.“The development is particularly worrying given a ruling by the Conciliation and Arbitration Board yesterday to allow the outsourcing of core clerical officer call centre work to the private sector in Revenue,” the CPSU said.“The ruling means an additional €4.9 million of taxpayers’ money will now be handed over to private sector call centre operators while surplus clerical officers are available in different locations awaiting the assignment of new work.

The 24/7 Frontline Alliance, the new umbrella union which is representing those in the Gardai, prison offices and some medical workers. They’ve engaged a firm of actuaries to work out the effect of Croke Park 2 on the gross salaries and allowances of a range of workers, and this is what they found.There are a range of reductions from 3% for firefighters to 11.4% for a staff nurse. No average is given but the modal reduction is 5-10%. They throw in the salary of a senator for comparison to show that those just over €65,621 will see a reduction of €621 or 0.9%, which makes the bald point that some politicians are escaping lightly. In fact, TDs earning €92,672 will see a reduction of €5,414 or 5.8% to €87,258. That’s less than a psychiatric nurse whose pay will decline by €5,441 or 11.1% from €48,860 to €43,419.For example, under the proposals, there is no change to the core pay of the 87% of workers in the public service who earn less than €65,000.In contrast, those on salaries over €65,000 will have their pay reduced by between 5.5% and 10%. In the case of those with salaries greater than €100,000 salary scales will be permanently cut by the relevant percentage.There is also a compounding effect in reverse here.For example a 3% rise in a wage of 100 euros brings salary to 103 euros.A 3 % cut in a wage of 103 euros is gives a salary under 100 euros.So in real terms wage reductions are greater than the indicative reductions expressed as they are in percentages.Working an extra two and a quarter hours per week for free is working those hours under the legal minimum wage and presumably could be legally challenged.If there were actual salary reductions many low waged civil servants would likely qualify for social welfare assistance. Working extra hours for free obviates this outcome.No civil servant or HSE administrator will face any pay cut under these proposals and they will have their working week uncreased to a still very low average of 37 hours per week. By contrast every nurse, teacher, Garda etc will face a cut in their take home pay. Despite the fact that many of them undertake very physically demanding work nurses also will have their working week increased to 39 hours under CP2 + one additional hour of unpaid overtime = 40 hours.Administrators make up the majority in unions such as SIPTU and IMPACT and have the numbers to vote through the deal. A majority of the public favour the Government re-negotiating the Croke Park Agreement according to a new opinion poll.The RED C survey for the Sunday Business Post asked people their views on the ‘Croke Park II’ agreement and its rejection by trade unions.Asked “if the Government should “go ahead and cut public service pay” half of voters says they disagreed with such a move, with 30% supporting it.Those polled were also asked if the government should “accept the union’s decision and try and renegotiate the Croke Park Agreement” which found 56% in favour of that.

Government gives unions two weeks to agree deal on savings.Coalition looking at a combination of pay cuts, indefinite freezing of increments and changes to premium and overtime payments for frontline public service staff.Ministers have signalled that if there is no negotiated agreemnent with unions the Government will introduction legislation to provide for the savings.The Government is looking at a combination of pay cuts, the indefinite freezing of increments and changes to premium and overtime payments for frontline public service staff if there is no agreementwith unions on reducing the publicservice pay and pensions bill followingthe collapse of the proposed Croke Park II agreement.The Government is insisting that the planned €1 billion reduction in the public service pay and pensions bill over the next three years must be delivered and has asked the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission to report back early next month on whether he believes a deal can be reached with unions.Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said Mr Mulvey would have a difficult job in talking to the unions.“It is a difficult task that has been given to him, but the nature of industrial relations is that sometimes the impossible can be achieved, but we’ll have to wait and see.”Asked about cuts in allowances, as opposed to core pay, he said: “The way it has built up on an ad hoc basis over the years, some of the additional pay to core pay does really constitute the income of people. I understand that and have great sympathy with it. But for that reason the adjustments made, for example time and three quarters instead of double time on a Sunday… I think it is possible to defend that until economic circumstances get better in this country.”

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Irish Kids Bestsellers May 2013

Kids Bestsellers May 2013

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Irish Bestsellers 7th May 2013

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Breakfast With George Hook At Crosshaven Yacht Club May 16th 2013 7.30 am

Crosshaven Rugby Football Club are hosting breakfast with George Hook at Crosshaven Yacht Club on May 16th at 7.30 am – 8.45 am. The Right Hook is an Irish broadcaster and rugby pundit with RTE. These tickets are €25 and can be bought from Mia Crowley or email secretary@crosshavenrugbyfc.com .

 

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Crosshaven RFC – Legends

Crosshaven’s Golden Oldies – Our Legends PDF Print E-mail
     Mr.Eddie Buckley, Senior, Mr.Maurice Barry, Senior and Mr.Joe DrennanTurning The First Sod At Crosshaven Rugby Football Club

Mr. Eddie Buckley and Mr.Maurice Barry Were Both Recently Awarded

Life Honorary Membership Of Crosshaven Rugby Football Club’s

40th Anniversary Dinner.Both Were Past Presidents Of Crosshaven

Rugby Football Club On Many Occassions