The Wheel has also called for State funding to be used to help charities meet the costs of compliance. It suggests that rural Ireland is being “held together by community and voluntary groups” providing services that the State cannot or will not provide. The Wheel public policy director Ivan Cooper said recovery from the economic crash has been limited in rural Ireland and voluntary organisations survive with little in the way of funding. Fine Gael election candidate Deirdre Duffy, who has had a long time interest in the sector, said voluntary organisations should not be treated like “second-class citizens”. Politics of the future has to find a common purpose.”RegulationsFianna Fáil election candidate Deirdre O’Donovan said regulations take away time and energy from voluntary organisations though governments are dependent on such organisations.

Source: The Irish Times January 30, 2020 20:49 UTC