Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

One last point, I said the effect was logistical. The big benefit charities see in this in a situation where they receive thousands or tens of thousands of contributions is that Revenue will settle with one cheque. They will not have to count all of the individual contributions and everybody seems to be happy. We did this at their request and gave them one year to consider the matter. However, there may be losses to the Exchequer and we will have to see how it works. The movements will be marginal. There is an argument that big donors were using contributions to charity as a way of reducing their tax liability. A very wealthy individual might prefer to donate to his or her favourite charity than to the Exchequer and he or she may no longer continue to do this now that there will be no personal benefit. That was one of the concerns raised. The charities in receipt of large donations thought it was a downside risk they were willing to take and did not regard it as being very big. It is a better scheme, but we will monitor it.