THE CEO OF the Irish Cancer Society John McCormack is to take a pay cut of €10,000 per year, he has announced this morning.
It follows controversy this week over the charity’s decision to cut its hardship fund for families of children with cancer, due to unmanageable demand.
The decision was later reversed, after a strong public backlash.
Asked earlier this week whether the CEO’s salary of some €145k had been looked at when the board made the initial decision, a spokesperson said:
Not that I’m aware of.
McCormack made the announcement that he would be taking the cut to his salary at a press conference this morning.
The charity announced on Wednesday that it was rowing back on its contentious decision to cut the fund.
The announcement had caused outrage and disgust among parents: the entire Liveline show had been dedicated to the issue the previous day.
“I have lost all respect for the Irish Cancer Society for pulling funding,” one caller told the programme.
Head of Advocacy Kathleen O’Meara later insisted they had no choice but to make the decision, saying the board had “looked at everything” before passing its budget.
In a statement the following day the charity said:
Almost €200,000 will be needed this year to continue this fund but we will now work to find the savings necessary to ensure that this fund for children with cancer is maintained.
Today’s press release, confirming the €10,000 cut, said the money the CEO was forgoing would be made immediately available for the fund.
The cut took effect from 1 January.
“Now more than ever the Irish Cancer Society needs the support of the people of Ireland if we are to maintain the free services for cancer patients, which are run only by us,” McCormack said.
These include our night nursing service, our Volunteer Driving Scheme, our free Cancer Nurseline, our Daffodil Centres in 13 hospitals, as well as the funds we spend on cancer research in Ireland.
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