ALONE – “It is time for all charities in Ireland to get serious about quality and transparency”

Dublin, 3^rd November 2016  ALONE, the charity that supports older people to age at home, has today welcomed the launch of Charities Institute Ireland, a new regulatory body for charities. The organisation, which was formed through the merger of Fundraising Ireland and the Irish Charities Tax Reform Group (ICTR), represents 180 of Ireland’s main charities including ALONE.

Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, commented, “ALONE are delighted to welcome this new regulatory body for charities in Ireland.  We hope that this initiative will encourage other charities to get serious about quality and transparency in order to restore public trust and confidence in the sector.”

ALONE was the first charity in Ireland to achieve the internationally recognised Quality in Befriending Award, the second organisation to receive the ISO Quality Standard for services delivery and it has also achieved the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard.

Moynihan continued, “In ALONE we take a leadership position around transparency and accountability. We have a strong ethos around how we manage money which has been donated and we respect the generosity and intention of all those who support ALONE because they share our passion to improve the lives of marginalised older people in need.”

Moynihan concluded, “We do none of these things because we have to but because we know them to be the right things to do. The launch of Charities Institute Ireland is a step forward for the charity sector. It is time that all charities in Ireland raised standards and the bar of trust. Charities Institute Ireland will implement transparency and accountable in all Irish charities and we believe that this is necessary to ensure the future of this sector.”

Established in 1977, ALONE is an independent charity that supports vulnerable older people to age at home.  They work with those who have issues with social isolation, lack of services, poor health, poverty, homelessness or housing.  ALONE provides Supportive Coordination, Befriending, Supportive Housing and Campaigning services to hundreds of older people every week.  They receive no Government funding for their day-to-day activities so rely solely on the generosity of the public to continue their work.  ALONE’s services are quality approved and are delivered 365 days a year.

ALONE have received the following internationally recognised awards for their services:

• ISO Quality Standard for services delivery.
• Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard
• Quality in Befriending Award

For more information on ALONE’s work and the charity’s external and internal audits visit www.alone.ie.