Falling donations results in €1.5m shortfall for Barnardos

CHILDREN’S CHARITY BARNARDOS has recorded a €1.5 million shortfall in 2011 due to falling donations, according to its newest director’s report.

In 2011, income from donations fell to €6.8 million from €7.4 million the previous year.

State money has traditionally accounted for about half of total funding of the charity and substantial cuts to allocations, as well as a drop in voluntary contributions, has created financial difficulties. Recently, a number of measures have been implemented in a bid to cut costs.

In August, the charity announced it would be closing for one week as a way of reducing outgoings, a total of 14 staff were made redundant, and remaining workers agreed to a 10 per cent pay cut and loss of increments.

The figures show that Barnardos, which marked its 50th anniversary last week, reduced its overall annual spend from €24 million to €23.9 million last year.

When recently asked about his €88,000 salary, chief executive Fergus Finlay said: “If I could work for nothing, I’d work for nothing.”

Read: Barnardos gets its own stamp on 50th anniversary>