More than 100 charities report 'systemic funding issues'

One in four charities (24%) are uncertain about whether they can sustain existing services this year.

An online survey of more than 100 charities by the national association of charities, The Wheel, in February and March, found "systemic funding issues".

Many of the services deliver essential public services on behalf of the State and contribute an estimated €32 billion annually to the Irish economy according to the umbrella body.

It has estimated that registered charities employ over 281,000 people in Ireland, full and part-time.

However, staffing remains a critical challenge, with more than one third (38%) of organisations unable to recruit or retain staff, largely due to uncompetitive pay.

Some organisations said they had received additional funding under Workplace Relations Commission agreements to increase salaries, however, these agreements did not cover almost half (46%) of those who responded, because they were not funded under Section 39/56/10/40 arrangements.

One quarter (27%) said they receive multi-annual funding, which has left many charities reliant on short-term arrangements that "undermine long-term planning".

Administrative pressures have also intensified according to representative association.

The survey found that almost three-quarters (72%) of organisations reported an increase in compliance and reporting requirements over the past year.

Many were required to submit the same data to multiple State bodies such as the Charities Regulator, the Companies Registration Office and the Health Service Executive and 33% said that they lacked the capacity or funding to meet these obligations.

When asked to identify the top three policy priorities for the sector, multi-annual funding came out on top, followed by non-pay costs to be covered by State funding, and funding to provide for the cost of compliance/the streamlining of regulatory and funding-related compliance requirements.

The findings come as staff and volunteers of over 400 charities, community groups and social enterprises gather at The Helix in Dublin today for the largest gathering of civil society bodies - The Wheel's Annual Summit.

The Wheel has called for multiannual funding, better alignment between State contracts and actual costs, and streamlined reporting requirements.

Director of Policy and Advocacy Dónall Geoghegan said the sector had been "stretched to its limits".

"Without meaningful reform to how the sector is funded and supported, we risk undermining the very organisations that communities across Ireland rely on every day," he said.