# Charities face big government cuts

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/04/23/charities-face-big-government-cuts/
- Published: 2009-04-23T08:36:33+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Five of the countries biggest overseas aid organisations will have their government
funding cut by 20 per cent this year.

Concern Worldwide, Goal, Trócaire, Christian Aid and Self Help Development International
received €70.8 million under Irish Aid’s multi-annual programme scheme (Maps) in
2008, with Concern receiving €26 million, Trócaire €20 million and Goal €17.7 million.

The cutbacks are a direct result of the government’s decision to reduce its overseas
development aid budget by €100million, reducing the budget to €696 million. The 
recent cut was the fourth to the aid budget since June 2008.The total budget is 
now €225 million less than it was ten months ago.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

Concern, Trocaire and Goal are three of the biggest fundraising charities in Ireland.

Concern chief executive Tom Arnold said the sector was being ‘‘hit on a number of
fronts’’. He said exchange rates – they mainly deal in dollars – had not worked 
in the favour of NGOs.

Income from corporates and philanthropic donors is also down. Income from the general
public continues to hold up, but there are fears that this may change with the continuing
economic decline.

The government promised to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income (GNI) on 
aid by 2012. It now looks unlikely to meet that commitment.

 * **[Charity commission appointed](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/06/01/charity-commission-appointed/)**(
   1 June 2009)
 * **[New Minister for the Third Sector announced](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/06/09/new-minister-third-sector-announced/)**(
   9 June 2009)
 * **[Charity spent 90% of income on fundraising and administration](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/06/16/charity-spent-90-income-fundraising-and-administration/)**(
   16 June 2009)