Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are lucky in this country that the community and voluntary sector is truly a community and voluntary sector. In many other countries, there is not the same proportion of genuine community and voluntary people who are not paid. The participation of people who are not paid is much more significant than it might be in other places.

I am and have been a member of a number of boards in my local community. If an organisation is looking for new trustees, on top of the significant responsibilities people have when they join a board, for various organisations now, there is everything from health and safety, employment law and charity regulation, which includes articles of association and constitution. Then, there is all the stuff that goes with tendering to do with the Charities Regulator and auditing. Everything that goes with it is very substantial now. These could be organisations that might have only two or three people. It will be a challenge to find trustees for organisations unless we can make the work a bit easier for them.

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