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A NUMBER OF créches in North and South Dublin are being investigated following revelations that children were mistreated in their care.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin raised the issue at Leaders’ Questions this morning in the Dáil and asked the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore what assurances the government could give that children across the country are being looked after in public or private care.
“As the government we are deeply concerned about these reports,” Eamon Gilmore said, speaking on behalf of the Taoiseach Enda Kenny who is in Athens today.
He continued that it is “deeply shocking” that anyone could behave in the way described.
(Image: Dáil TV)
RTÉ’s Prime Time Investigates programme secretly recorded staff at a number of créches and is set to broadcast the programme next week.
“It’s every parents’ worst nightmare… Every parent who is dropping a child to créche this morning should have confidence and trust that their children are being cared for,” added Gilmore.
He said “mistreatment is unacceptable in any setting”.
Martin detailed how parents were notified of the allegations at a meeting held last week in Malahide and that one staff member has been dismissed.
The Fianna Fáil leader added that the behaviour of those involved is “inexcusable and unacceptable” and that the “parents concerned are furious”.
“All cases of mistreatment should be reported as they have been in this case,” Gilmore responded.
He added that the HSE have been in contact with RTÉ and would be shown the undercover footage later today. “RTÉ are also liaising with the gardaí on the issue,” he told the house.
Gilmore said the Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald is giving the investigation her highest priority and denied that vetting could have led to this issue, but accepted that the vetting process is “very slow”.
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89.8% is a remarkable figure. I remember doing a study a few years back and we discovered that most charities work at around 60%. We’ve always been a very charitable country and it’s great to see that we still are, even in the “current economic climate”.
God, I hate them three words.
Chuggers are fine but when they block your path with big open arms and silly lines….aaaargh!!
I was giving a tenner a month to concern via standing order for 4 or 5 years. But, I would get annoyed at the sheer amount of junk mail sent to me. I emailed them 5 or 6 times over the course of 2 or 3 years asking them to take me off the mailing list. It didn’t happen so I cancelled the standing order and instead set one up with my local, family run animal shelter.
The amount of communists and bigots on this site is increasing every week. Is no one in ireland now able to earn more then the average wage without criticism. Everyone should be on the same wage should they???. As for this ‘charity begins at home’ comments. Actually look up what it originally meant before you spout bigotted rubbish.
It’s mostly ordinary decent people that donate to these charities but do they realize that the CEO maybe taking a huge amount in wages from this charity money that most donors could only dream about
Agreed. People seem to have this terror/jealousy of anyone who makes money now. Probably an offshoot of feeling powerless over bank bailouts but the anger people turn on charities on here is reaching ridiculous levels.
Niall, The truth hurts but its still the truth.
What truth?
How much wages does the new CEO receive
Surely someone who makes a living helping people should be as entitled (if not more entitled) to a decent salary as anyone else…
Not sure about the new CEO, but in 2011 John O’Shea was paid 98k. Concern employ 3,200 people in 25 countries,so I don’t really think It’s excessive. They have also had a pay freeze in place since 2010.
John O Shea was paid 230 thou euro plus expences and got a big pay off when he left Goal.
I think John O’Shea is with Goal and that the CEO of Concern gets about €130,000 per annum………..
Think again.
My mistake, I meant to say Tom Arnold. Even still your figures about John o Shea are way off. He founded goal as well btw, saved countless lives all over the world and in 2010 was shortlisted in an rte poll to find Ireland’s greatest person. What have you done lately?
@chris I think you’ve been PWNED !
You forgot to mention that he is also a millionaire.
Always work checking out the background of the CEO and the boards. Mr MacSorley has worked with concern for over 30 years. He is running a large organisation. Any charity thought with an ex banker boss I walk away from
@killian
At the expense of the people they are helping
Not at all. Charity’s need to be run like businesses. Good salaries will attract the brightest, best and most committed to a sector where they’re badly needed.
Similar situation on the “overheads” issue. I don’t give a toss what percentage of a charity’s income is spent on overheads, because “overheads” (paying fundraisers and admin staff etc) are investments which make more money in the future. We shouldn’t be asking what percentage of their income goes to charity, but rather how much, in absolute terms goes to charity. What does it matter if 99% of your income goes to charity, if you’ve only raised 10 quid; surely it’s better to raise 10 million quid and have 70% going to charity?
Sure salaries and “overheads” make the fraction of the income going to charity smaller, but they make the income itself bigger.
Charities expect volunteers to work for free while the CEO and management earn astronomical salaries. I myself lost all faith in Concern years ago when they renovated their HQ on Camden Street with all that marble cladding (you could run a charity out of a few portacabins, and they don’t need to be in such high rent areas). An outward expression internal excesses.
Concern’s work on the ground is streets ahead of other charities. The targeted approach means that they can deliver on crucial programmes that help society as a whole.
They are an amazing group of dedicated people who place themselves in often hostile environments, simply to help those who need help the most.
Help if you can. Comment if you want. But criticism should be left to those who have gotten off their behinds and actually helped, no matter how that help is delivered.
That said, the Chuggers around Dawson St. and Nassau St. are starting to reach saturation point!
Wake up!!!!!’ Charity begins at Home!!!!
There are even charities at home that will pay your NTL. Ireland has 1st world charity issues not comparable with 3rd world.
We have been told that Donegal has least disposable income in Ireland but at the weekend the people in 2 days raised Over €100,000, in Relay for Life.
People are so generous in Ireland.
Well done everyone involved and everyone who donated.
I presume the desired accounts are on the public record? Chuggers are an unfortunate method of revenue collection. I don’t know why anyone tolerates them.
Guys I work in accounts, trust me the figure of 89% is the best one they could give you which means they defo buffed it out. Look up their full accounts to see the real story. I do not support them because they have become too big and need too much money for staffing, ads, offices and all sorts so a lot of money is dwindled away before your €10 ever sees a 3rd world country.
That said they do amazing work all around the world with the money they do eventually spend so hats off for that.
Like you, I do respect that they do great work, no quibble with that.
Recently got accosted/ambushed TWICE during my lunch hour by one of the lovely chuggers. Politely declined and was chased down the street with an agressive “What’s your problem with Concern?” to which I answered (honestly) that I don’t give money to charities who spend such a high percentage on advertising/administration. My relentless friend continued to harrass me, insisting he knew better than me, although I had politely reiterated that I do give to charity, just ensure that in doing so, every cent of every euro goes to where it’s needed.
Clearly, I’m not on Concern’s mailing list and I have learned that the only way to deal with chuggers, however well meaning they are, is to hiss and snarl. They don’t get more subtle social cues. Sad but true :(
I wonder how much of the money thats collected goes to the needy when the head of the charities get massive wages and expences.
Eh 89% id say !!
Fergus Finlay is paid 119 thousand euro per year plus expences. 89% my hat.
So the guy who runs an organisation that helps millions of people every year, probably saves countless lives too, gets paid the same amount in a year as a dentist and approx. half of what Wayne Rooney is paid in a week. And people think he’s getting too much??
Niall,yes because he is just a spokesman and has 2 other well paid jobs as well.
And Wayne Rooney kicks a bag of air around a patch of grass, what’s the point?
What’s Fergus Finlay got to do with it?
Do you not know that our nice Fergus is the spokesman for Barnardos.Wakey Wakey
This article is about concern. Wakey wakey !!!
Denise are you for real? Could anyone really be as dumb and ill informed as you continually appear to be? Fergus Finlay works for Bernardos. The figures quoted above refer to Concern. Whether you agree with them or not, they have nothing to do with Fergus Finlay, I can’t understand why you would even mention him.
Fergus Finlay is relevant to this debate because he is head of a charity.
He’s the head of a completely different charity, it has no relevance here. The article tells us how much of the money concern receives is spent on charity. How is the salary of an employee of a different charity relevant?
89.8% of €147m spent on charitable causes, leaves about €15m spent on what? Is that’s how much it costs to run Concern? If so, that’s €1.4m per month!!!
So?
They employ 3,200 people.
So,the man is correct.
Do the 3,200 people get paid I bet the majority of these people do this work of their own free will and fair dues to them they do wonderful work its not these people that are the problem. It’s the people at the top of the chain who make it a business for themselves. How can anyone justify taking 100,000 plus Euros from a charity when the money being collected is supposed to help the poor of the world do these people have any morals
I assume they do. The 3,200 are employees. If you’re a volunteer you are not an employee. After costs they still provided appx. €132 million for charitable purposes. That’s still a serious amount of wedge!
My point was the fact that their “employees” are volunteers (or at least that’s what I thought) so I was wondering what kind of expenses could they have that cost them over €1m per month? How much more good could they do with another €15m in the pot?
Chuggers in 2011 got paid over 10 euro an hour…..
It’s mad that you get a negative score for questioning the questionable slant on the concern advert.
3,200 salaries, building rental, building maintenance, electricity bills, various insurances, various travel expenses, advertising, etc, etc… Do I need to go on? For god’s sake 11% on running costs is fantastic, stop looking for excuses to moan.
I taught concern was a charity?
It is, so keeping on teaching that.
Sorry but I don’t believe that… I have been told for a fact by several individuals who have worked signing people up for donations that the first year of any subscriptions paid goes to the outsourced sales/collection firm. I also suspect the average life of a donor to be somewhere between 3 and 5 years max.
I assume you’re quoting that income as net of the collection firm which as they are outsourced can cover their costs themselves before reporting what’s left as net donations to the concern parent company.
Thats true of other charitys bot concern or Amnesty as they are in house and dont work for a private agency
Bot = not. Damn autocorrect switching to Italian!
You have been told for a fact? I’ve been told many things “for a fact” but that doesn’t make them true. I’m sorry but hearsay and your suspicions aren’t really much to go on!
All the chuggers have turned me off supporting concern. They seem to be unable to hear the words ‘no thanks’ and plague elderly people who can’t walk away fast enough. I am beginning to put them in the same bracket as those vile ‘pro-lifers’ as another reason to stay away from town.
Not sure about the percent there what I would like to know is why they need such a huge office in Camden St ?
They are a WORLD WIDE NGO, working in 26 countries including the DRC, Afganistan, Burundi and Haiti which are some of the worst places in Earth for living -and they are there, representing YOU. Here in the US, I work with refugees from Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Guinea and they all say the same: the Irish are the best, most trustworthy, intelligent and caring of all they have met in their struggles as refugees. I am ver proud of that and what our NGOs do on behalf of the Irish people. We are everywhere and it takes a huge skill, time, talent and tact to navigate the cutthroat and ruthless world of non-partisan, diplomatic aid in some of these countries that are being run by thugs and gangs. We’re there cos we are trusted to have no allegiance except to the People in Need. So, in order to maintain that reputation and gave the organization at its best it meeds not only to attract the best, but pay what the reputation of that group has developed. I know it’s hard to understand that when you’ve got something stuck up the proverbial but try!
So it cost 16 milliion euro to run Concern that year, I asked on of there chuggers in Cork recently and he very reluctantly told me he is paid €13 per hour, In my opinion all charities should be run by volunteers and collections done by volunteers, Concern is a money making machine for those at the top and i will never give to a charity that takes 16 million a year for so caled “Running costs” and constantly bombards us looking for money
Will you take a full time volunteer position with them micheal?
Where did the other €16,000,000 go?
The heads of charities in this country is a very lucrative earner , Amazingly they are very coy about how much they pay there execs whilest constantly asking for more donations,
The more I think about charity the more I think it can do more bad than good sometimes. It distorts the markets, props up failed regimes and puts people in long term poverty traps.
Fair play for people for giving to charity and for people who work for charities their hearts are on the right place.
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