Personal donations to Irish aid agency Goal slumped by over 50% last
year as the organisation slipped into the red — recording losses of
€4.9m. The out-of-court settlement reached with Mr O’Shea contributed to the losses. However, the annual report does not disclose the amount paid out to Mr O’Shea.
In July of last year, Mr O’Shea — who established the charity in 1977 — went to the High Court to prevent the board of Goal removing him as CEO. After three weeks of talks, Mr O’Shea agreed to step down after a settlement was reached between the two sides. Former Fianna Fáil minister Barry Andrews has succeeded Mr O’Shea as CEO.
According to Goal’s annual report for 2012, donations from the public decreased from €8.1m to €3.8m last year and this followed a 45% drop in donations in 2011.
Across 2012 and 2011, donations have decreased by 72% from €13.7m to €3.8m last year.
The agency recorded a loss of €4.89m, which followed it recording a surplus of €371,669 in 2011 — a negative swing of €5.27m.
Explaining the drop in donations, Goal’s directors’ report states that “there were no major appeals for funds by Goal in 2012, and this, coupled with the lengthening recession is evident in the reduced level of voluntary and fundraising income received in 2012”.
While the agency’s income from donations and fundraising decreased by €4.3m, its spend on fundraising rose by 13%, from €1.3m to €1.48m.
However, its income from its largest base — grant income from governments, trusts, and other grant making institutions — increased by 4% from €48.9m to €50.8m.
The agency’s overcome income last year totalled €60.5m and the loss arose largely from increased spending going up by 8% to €65m. The agency remains in robust financial health with accumulated funds at the end of 2012 totalling €31.7m.