Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

The answer to Deputy Mitchell's question on whether the funds raised from the public had declined is "Yes". Our Christmas campaign raised 25% less in 2013 than in 2012. While we have noted declines in the funds raised in the past five years since the onset of the economic crisis, they have not been remotely of this scale. Apart from that, what we have noticed in the past five years is that while we are receiving donations from roughly the same number of people, the amounts they contribute have reduced. This is understandable given the circumstances in which people are now living.