# Irish giving patterns revealed

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/07/10/irish-giving-patterns-revealed/
- Published: 2005-07-10T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Irish people are expected to give 450 million euro to charity this year, according
to a new wide ranging study on charitable giving in Ireland. The study, Good Intentions:
Consumer Preferences for Charities in Ireland, was undertaken by research body Amarach
Consulting.
Michael McLoughlin, Amarach managing director, said this giving level
was not particularly generous when compared with other wealthy nations, although
he conceded that it was difficult to make direct comparsions given the different
tax, cultural and other differences between countries.

The study found that nine out of ten people donated to one or more charities during
the year with the average donation 15 euro a month. Just 12 per cent, however, make
fixed monthly donations according to the survey. Older adults (aged 55-64) and high
income earners were more likely to make these regular donations.

Some 26 per cent of Irish people, mostly in the older age bracket, preferred to 
donate to health related charities, with 21 per cent, in the younger category, opting
for children´s charities. The study draws the conclusion that health related charities
would fare better in the future as our population aged, while children´s charities
would not do so well.

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Some 15 per cent of donors preferred Third World charities, with higher income groups
more likely to support this cause. The research also found that Dubliners accounted
for 40 per cent of all charitable donations, despite accounting for 29 per cent 
of the population.

Some charities were failing to make use of the tax incentives available with 25 
million euro being lost because they were not claiming back tax from regular donors
who were paying through the PAYE system.

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