# Irish wealthy “can give more”

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/12/10/irish-wealthy-can-give-more/
- Published: 2018-12-10T16:14:47+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**By international standards the level of large-scale giving in Ireland is quite
low even though there is a huge potential for giving in a more structured way, says
Tina Roche chief executive of the Community Foundation for Ireland (CFI).**

As part of the [Make A Difference Campaign](http://www.communityfoundation.ie/insights/news/make-a-difference-campaign)
Ms Roche was discussing the potential for strategic giving in Ireland. 

“Our capacity to give more significantly and strategically is hugely expanded in
a wealthier society but to date, that capacity has not been leveraged,” says Ms 
Roche.

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Ireland is still developing its understanding of and commitment to philanthropy,
she said. The evolution and growth in the amount of donors that work with foundations
like CFI reflects the value placed on philanthropy and the potential it has, she
added.

Ms Roche quoted the Irish Central Bank estimates which put net household wealth 
at €727 billion at the end of 2017,1% above the 2007 pre-recessionary peak and almost
70% above the level in 2012. Irish households are wealthier now than they have ever
been.

Other data showed that wealth was very concentrated, with the wealthiest 1% of households
owning 33% of all private wealth, with the top 5% owning about 50% of that total.

Based on CFI’s experience Ms Roche said donors in Ireland are moving towards a strategic
philanthropy model by providing larger and often multi-annual grants to organisations
that are aiming to tackle systematic problems at their root cause.

“There is a larger number of people who can give more than just a little in the 
moment and who can be moved to give strategically over the long-term, she said.

“Government bears the main responsibility to alleviate social issues but no government
is effective without the participation of people. There is more to be done and philanthropy
has a crucial role to play,” she said.

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   12 January 2019)
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 * **[Coca-Cola Thank You Fund seeks new applications from Irish youth projects](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/05/10/coca-cola-thank-you-fund-seeks-new-applications-from-irish-youth-projects/)**(
   10 May 2019)

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