Sir, – The well-justified uproar over supplementary payments could not have come at a worse time of year for voluntary organisations of all kinds.
Christmas is far and away the time of year when charitable donations are most badly needed, and when people are most generous.
As an ordinary foot soldier in the VDP, I am well aware of the demands made on all and sundry at Christmastime. So, in order to allay suspicion, I suggest that any charity seeking to raise money should make it clear via the media just what percentage of its income goes where it is intended to go. – Yours , etc,
WILLIAM MULLEN,
Ballyroan Road,
Templeogue, Dublin 16.
Sir, – In the past week I have had a number of letters from charities which my wife and I support throughout each year. These letters are meant to reassure us that the money we give is not used to top up employees’ salaries. I regret to say they will need to do a lot more than shoot off a lot of meaningless letters to restore our confidence in the morality of their operation.
My wife and I have contributed each year to a number of charities of choice. We have not done this from some excess pot of money. Our only income is the old-age pension and we have gone without each year, in order to make these charitable donations. It is a huge insult and we are both devastated to learn that we have gone without in order to satisfy the greed of otherwise well-heeled people in these charities. We are left wondering what other revelations are left to come into the public domain in this greedy little country of ours. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM D CARR,
Oakdale,
Templemore,
Co Tipperary.