logo
Concern Worldwide faces shutdown in some countries amid budget cuts, lost US funding

Concern Worldwide faces shutdown in some countries amid budget cuts, lost US funding

Irish Times09-06-2025
Irish
international aid agency
Concern
Worldwide has said that it will have to close its operations in some countries and introduce more staff redundancies as a result of budget cuts.
But it has said while international donations are reducing, the Irish public is digging deeper to contribute more.
Concern chief executive Dominic Crowley indicated that about 400 personnel across the world would lose their jobs. He said in its office in
Dublin
the organisation was coming to the end of a redundancy programme which would see it shed about 55 or 56 posts.
In Dublin the organisation employs 330 people and globally about 4,000.
READ MORE
[
'Not viable' for Government to provide funds to replace US aid programme cuts, says Minister
Opens in new window
]
Some of the job losses in Ireland will be compulsory.
The closure of aid programmes in a number of countries will mean that further jobs will be lost.
'We know that our budget is going to be less than it was, so we know that we're going to be doing less than we were. So that's going to mean closing country programmes. It's going to mean more redundancies for staff, and it's going to mean that the level of what we can deliver in terms of essential life-saving programmes and our longer-term development programmes are going to be reduced in many places, not just in the countries that we close.'
He told The Irish Times that Concern had lost about €20 million in funding from the
US
which accounted for about one third of its global budget.
Mr Crowley said Concern Worldwide had anticipated securing contracts worth just under €60 million from the US Government this year but cuts in Washington will see that reduced by about one third.
'The whole programme that we had with USAid for the Democratic Republic of Congo – a huge country in the centre of Africa – and for Afghanistan, that funding has been completely cut.'
[
Concern Worldwide lays off almost 400 staff citing 'aid funding cuts'
Opens in new window
]
'Other funding, particularly for the longer-term programmes in places like Kenya has also been cut.'
He said the conflict in Congo meant that the organisation had planned to go back to delivering water by truck to displaced and at risk communities. However, the funding cuts now meant that this had been reduced significantly, although the UK had stepped in to fill some of the gap.
He also said UK budget cuts were already starting to happen. He described the scale of funding reductions being envisaged as 'catastrophic'.
However Mr Crowley said while international donors were cutting back, the Irish public was 'digging deeper' in its contributions.
He said there had been a marked upturn in contributions from the Irish public which last year provided about €27 million in funding. He suggested the level of public donations could increase by €1 million or €2 million.
'The public support is incredibly important to us, and the generosity of the Irish public is well known, and we are deeply grateful for it. We have seen sort of modest growth over the last couple of years, but the results for this year are much better than we anticipated.'
'And we do get the sense that people are reacting to the reality of what they're seeing and hearing, and they are digging deeper into their pockets and being incredibly generous. So in the year to date, it's a very positive outlook in terms of the additional level of income.'
He said the Irish Government was 'almost singular' in the fact that it was retaining its commitment of allocating 0.7 per cent of gross national income to official development assistance and keeping its funding to NGOs, the UN and international organisations.
Mr Crowley said the issue of potential mergers or amalgamations of agencies in the sector had been discussed internally – and that Concern would be open to such a development. However, the opportunities for such a development were limited.
'If you look outside at the nature of the organisations in Ireland, most are members of big international families. So world Vision, Christian Aid, Plan, International, all these ones. So there's no real likelihood or expectation of an opportunity to merge with those.'
'So the other organisations that are here, are very few and far between. The number of organisations with whom there would be the potential for a merger is very, very small. We're open to the possibility of it. We've looked at this before. We've talked to agencies before. We've gone through a process. It hasn't worked out. If it becomes an option again, we'll certainly look at it again.
Concern Worldwide will this week release its annual report for 2024. The report says last year it supported 27.3 million people in 27 of the world's fragile and conflict-affected countries.
The report says the organisation is working on a new five-year plan but difficult decisions will have to be made.
'These are challenging times, but the Concern has been through challenging times before, and the importance of what we're doing in delivering support to poor and vulnerable people living in circumstances of poverty and vulnerability, we need to continue we need to continue working. We need to maintain the hope that what we deliver will be sustained and we'll be able to continue delivering it. '
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Global markets soar amid signs of progress on US trade deals
Global markets soar amid signs of progress on US trade deals

Irish Times

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Global markets soar amid signs of progress on US trade deals

Global markets soared on Thursday as investors digested US corporate earnings along with signs of progress in tariff negotiations between the US and its trading partners. Dublin Euronext Dublin was up 1.3 per cent, largely boosted by strong performances from the Irish banks. Bank of Ireland and AIB were up 4 per cent and 3 per cent respectively, with the banking sector generally up across Europe. Ryanair continued its recent rise, climbing 0.7 per cent. Its peer airline Wizz Air finished down 0.5 per cent after it missed first-quarter profit estimates. 'There was a bit activity around the airlines due to that news flow, and Ryanair benefited from that,' said a trader. READ MORE Elsewhere, two heavyweights on the index, food giant Kerry Group and Cavan-based insulation specialist Kingspan, both finished up 0.5 per cent. London Britain's FTSE 100 rose to a record close, boosted by upbeat corporate results and optimism over a potential EU-US trade agreement. The benchmark FTSE 100 closed up 0.9 per cent, while the domestically-oriented midcap FTSE 250 gained 0.6 per cent. The personal care and grocery stores index led sectoral gains, up 2.6 per cent, boosted by Reckitt, up 9.9 per cent, after the consumer goods company raised its annual revenue forecast. Healthcare stocks rose 1.9 per cent with AstraZeneca up 2.1 per cent after the drugmaker's rare immune disorder drug succeeded in an advanced trial. GSK added 1.4 per cent after the US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday extended its review of the drugmaker's blood cancer drug. Media stocks advanced 2.3 per cent, led by ITV which rose 13.3 per cent after the broadcaster's half-year results beat forecasts. Conversely, precious metal miners fell 1.4 per cent, tracking a drop in gold prices. Endeavour Mining fell 1.3 per cent, and Fresnillo was down 2.1 per cent. Europe Shares on the Continent advanced amid reports the European Union and Washington were close to clinching a tariff agreement, close on the heels of a similar deal with Japan. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 3.03 points. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose 0.23 per cent, while Europe's broad FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.2 per cent. The Dax 40 in Frankfurt gained 0.2 per cent, but the Cac 40 in Paris fell 0.4 per cent. New York The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit record highs as big technology stocks rose after Google parent Alphabet's robust earnings, while the Dow was weighed down by losses in IBM, UnitedHealth, and Honeywell. In morning trading, the S&P 500 gained 0.25 per cent; and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.25 per cent. Alphabet rose 1.9 per cent after it raised its 2025 capital spending forecast, shrugging off trade jitters, and reinforcing investors' confidence in AI investments and returns. Losses in UnitedHealth, IBM and Honeywell weighed on the blue-chip Dow, which fell 0.33 per cent – though it remained close to its December 4th record high. UnitedHealth lost 3.7 per cent. The insurer revealed it's co-operating with a Department of Justice probe into its Medicare practices, following reports of both criminal and civil investigations. IBM dropped 8 per cent as its second-quarter results fell flat with investors, hampered by disappointing sales in its core software division. Honeywell, meanwhile, dipped 4.6 per cent despite topping Wall Street's expectations and raising its annual outlook. Electric vehicle maker Tesla tumbled 9 per cent, as CEO Elon Musk warned of 'a few rough quarters' due to cuts in EV incentives. The stock has fallen about 25 per cent for the year so far. Some of Wall Street's heavyweights were starting to feel the sting of Trump's sweeping tariffs. American Airlines fell 9.2 per cent after forecasting a bigger-than-expected third-quarter loss, hurt by sluggish domestic travel demand. – Additional reporting: Agencies

Profits rise at Cashel Blue producer with aims to fund further capital investment
Profits rise at Cashel Blue producer with aims to fund further capital investment

Irish Times

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Profits rise at Cashel Blue producer with aims to fund further capital investment

Profits rose at Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, the producer of the famous Cashel Blue cheese, with the company aiming to use the surplus to fund further capital investment. J & L Grubb Limited, the company behind the brand, recorded profit of more than €960,000 in the 2024 financial year, according to filings made to the Companies Registration Office. This followed a profit of €951,000 in 2023. A spokesman said the company was 'building reserves to allow continued investment' after it made a 'huge capital investment' in 2010. The Cashel Blue brand was created by Louis and Jane Grubb in 1984 and has continued to be made by hand on the same farmland since it was founded. It is based in Fethard, Co Tipperary. READ MORE The brand is now led by a new generation of the family: the founders' daughter and her husband, Sarah Furno and Sergio Furno. Speaking to The Irish Times, the spokesman said that 2023 was a 'particularly good year' with the company having benefited from a 'post-Covid bounce', which he said benefited the food sector generally. In 2024, however, a sharp increase in milk prices forced the company to 'change its pricing slightly' as farmers were hit by a wetter than expected start to the year, which disrupted dairy volumes and price. 'Every cost has gone up. You name it and everything has gone up,' the spokesman said, with the family business seeking to retain a 'simple philosophy' of trying to build the company sustainably in order to be able to 'make the next step.' 'We are a sustainable, family-based rural business trying to hire people from the locality. We use locally produced milk, and hire our labour locally as much as possible.' The majority of the business' sales are domestic, around 70 per cent, with the balance exported to other markets. While tariffs may impact the company's exports to the US, they only have a small portion of their exports exposed to that market. The market turmoil, however, has created 'opportunities' for the company as there is interest from new markets in their product as people are 'now shy of buying American', the spokesman said. Accumulated profits stood at €9.2 million, with more than €500,000 in finished goods in stock by the end of 2024. The company had 22 employees in 2024, down seven from the year prior.

TD Gary Gannon files legal proceedings against Central Bank over Israeli bonds
TD Gary Gannon files legal proceedings against Central Bank over Israeli bonds

Irish Times

time3 hours ago

  • Irish Times

TD Gary Gannon files legal proceedings against Central Bank over Israeli bonds

Social Democrat TD Gary Gannon has filed legal proceedings against the Central Bank over its role in facilitating the sale of Israeli bonds on the European market. McGarr Solicitors lodged papers with the High Court on behalf of the Dublin Central TD on Thursday. Mr Gannon is seeking a court order requiring the Central Bank to exercise its powers under European regulations to prohibit the marketing, distribution or sale of bonds issued by the state of Israel. Court papers show he is also seeking an order requiring the bank to 'properly consult' with the 'competent authorities in other member states that may be significantly affected by the action'. READ MORE In a draft affidavit to the court Mr Gannon said he believes and is advised that the investors in, and holders, purchasers and sellers of Israeli bonds risk being 'complicit in genocide, with various implications for them'. [ Israeli bond investors risk complicity in genocide, TD claims in letter to Central Bank governor Opens in new window ] There have been ongoing calls for the Central Bank to end its role in approving Israeli bonds for sale in the European Union. The bank is the designated authority in relation to the sale of Israeli bonds in the EU. The Central Bank's governor, Gabriel Makhlouf, told the Oireachtas Finance Committee last month that Israel has raised between €100 million and €130 million from the bonds. He said the Israeli government website marketing its 'war bonds' had stated it had sold bonds worth €5 billion. He said the EU accounted for only a fraction of that, with the US accounting for the bulk of it. On what the bank can and can't do, he said: 'The Central Bank cannot decide to impose sanctions for breaches or alleged breaches of international law. It is for international bodies such as the UN or the EU to determine how to respond to breaches or alleged breaches of international law.' Mr Gannon issued letters to the bank about investor protection concerns relating to the bonds, as well as the use of the bonds to finance the war in Gaza at the end of last month. In response, the Central Bank, through its solicitors, said in a letter that there is 'no valid legal basis' to support Mr Gannon's purported judicial review proceedings. It claimed that Mr Gannon lacked the 'necessary locus standi' or right to bring the proceedings, and said the bank was satisfied it did not meet the relevant criteria to exercise its powers under EU law. The letter also stated that judicial review proceedings would lead to court time being 'expended unnecessarily and substantial costs being incurred'. [ Central Bank's role in approving Israeli bonds can be traced back to Brexit Opens in new window ] Commenting on the action, Mr Gannon said: 'These bonds are not neutral financial instruments. They are a funding pipeline for a military campaign that includes the bombardment and starvation of thousands of civilians. 'While this is a technical case grounded in EU investor protection law, the issues at stake are deeply moral and ask whether our laws, Irish, European, and international, have the capacity to respond to that reality.' He added: 'If financing a regime accused of genocide doesn't meet that threshold, what does?'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store