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Free cheese a casualty of EU budget cuts

  • 13-02-2013 12:51pm
    #1
    Scofflaw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,283 ✭✭✭✭


    The EU 'free cheese' programme comes in for a lot of snide commentary every year from those who don't need it, but Irish poverty agencies aren't happy to see it falling foul of proposed EU budget cuts:
    Almost €2.6m worth of cheese, butter and rice from agricultural surpluses will be distributed to Irish charities this year under the EU’s Food for the Most Deprived programme.

    But the programme is finishing at the end of the year because surplus stocks are running out and charities believe the proposed replacement cash fund will have too little to give and too many demands to meet.

    The total value of the food aid that will be split between 19 EU countries this year is €500m, but the replacement cash fund will have only an average of €300m per year to spend over the next seven years.

    Benefiting countries will also have to contribute 15% of the value of any funds allocated, except for troika countries such as Ireland which will have to come up with 5%. Paul Ginnell of the Irish branch of the European Anti-Poverty Network which represents 230 groups here said even the reduced contribution was too much.

    http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/food-parcel-charities-concerned-over-eu-plans-to-cut-supports-222505.html

    To be fair, this does come at a bad time for Irish poverty charities. As EAPN say:
    “It’s very important to preserve the 100% funding. That’s essential for the State, but also for the organisations because that co-financing requirement may be passed on to organisations. Many of them would not be able to provide even the 5%,” said Mr Ginnell.

    That strikes me as very likely - both the passing on, and the inability of charities to provide matching funding.

    cordially,
    Scofflaw


Comments

  • #2
    Godge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,727 ✭✭✭✭Godge


    Scofflaw wrote: »


    That strikes me as very likely - both the passing on, and the inability of charities to provide matching funding.

    cordially,
    Scofflaw

    A bit of transparency around charity's accounts would be useful.

    How much spent on lobbying? How much spent on administration? How much spent on campaigns? How much commission to chuggers?

    I find it much easier to donate direct to local organisations where I can see what is happening than to contribute to any of the national charities.


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