MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY Pieta is cutting jobs as part of plans to restructure the organisation to reduce costs by €3 million.

The charity has said it is experiencing significant financial pressures due to rising costs of care, the cost-of-living crisis and fundraising difficulties.

It intends to maintain its frontline services but reduce costs in areas like its educational programmes. 

In a statement, the charity said that after a “careful review”, it is “now beginning a phased restructuring to reduce costs and secure our long-term future”.

CEO Stephanie Manahan said that the charity has seen a decline in donations in recent years.

“We need to ensure Pieta’s sustainability into the future, so that we are there for those who need us in the years ahead. To do this, we will need to reduce our costs to match our levels of income,” Manahan said.

“I want to reassure those who rely on us that we will always prioritise our frontline services, and that Pieta remains focused on our charitable objectives, continuing to be there for the people who need us,” she said.

“We are asking our supporters, partners, committees, and volunteers to continue standing with us. Your support has always been the lifeblood of Pieta, and with it, we can ensure Pieta is here for everyone who needs us – today and in the future.”

Pieta was founded in Dublin in 2006.

It provides therapy services to people engaging in self-harm or who have been bereaved due to suicide.

The charity is behind the popular annual ‘Darkness into Light’ fundraiser walks.

Additional reporting by Diarmuid Pepper.