Sir, – The report of the Charities Regulator into the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) is measured and objective (“Good work of charity for homeless not in doubt but `numerous key compliance and governance failures’ found by Charities Regulator”, News, October 15th).
The voluntary sector can no longer offer a defence of “we meant well” – the “halo” defence. The sector has many professionally competent staff at all levels. But real oversight and governance are essential, not optional. Failures are now a regular occurrence. And, let it be stressed, they are not endemic in the sector. But there have been too many in the past five years to say they are isolated. The charity sector must demand legislation to require the sector meet the standards it espouses and consequences when those are not fulfilled. The for-profit and State companies operate under different values and priorities. The third, or voluntary, sector has qualitatively different performance matrixes to assess what we actually achieve and assessment of “value for money”. The public donate and have a right to have full information. The future of the sector depends on it. Charities legislation was overhauled some years ago (mainly to sort out the Civil Service jurisdiction) and administratively it did make significant improvements. However, we now need a substantive review of the charity sector to meet statutory regulations, performance, governance and oversight standards. – Yours, etc,
GREG MAXWELL,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.