Charity

Tim Robbins

Hi,
what are the legalities for charities collecting?
Can anybody just collect and say it is for charity or do they not have to have some sort of evidence, a registered charity number or something?
Rgds

hullaballoo

You need to get a licence from the Gardaí, and they're quite strict about it. As for gaining charitable status legally, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

I don't think anyone here knows enough about it to give a full description of what's involved, and anyone that does know that much about it is unlikely to have the time to explain it to you.

If you're really really interested, though, you can read Hilary Delany's Equity and the Law of Trusts - chapter on Charitable Trusts for a fairly complete treatment of it.

Tim Robbins

hullaball&#250 wrote:

You need to get a licence from the Gardaí, and they're quite strict about it. As for gaining charitable status legally, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

I don't think anyone here knows enough about it to give a full description of what's involved, and anyone that does know that much about it is unlikely to have the time to explain it to you.

If you're really really interested, though, you can read Hilary Delany's Equity and the Law of Trusts - chapter on Charitable Trusts for a fairly complete treatment of it.

Ok, The reason I ask is I saw a charity collecting who were not able to provide any evidence they were legit. when I asked them.

hullaballoo

Just don't give them money then. They're supposed to carry the licence (or a photocopy) and some identification with them at all times. Otherwise they can be arrested.

Our man in Havana

Does collecting on private property, eg outside Lidl etc protect them from the Gardaí?

hullaballoo

Bond-007 wrote:

Does collecting on private property, eg outside Lidl etc protect them from the Gardaí?

No, not at all.

raido9

Is it ok for a charity to keep pursuing money from you if you state that you are a student? I heard that it was illegal once, never found out if it was true or not.

Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins wrote:

Ok, The reason I ask is I saw a charity collecting who were not able to provide any evidence they were legit. when I asked them.

I was told it was in lieu of a "free" admission to a concert. When I asked them where the money was going they couldn't even say. When I refused to pay, I wasn't allowed into the concert.

johnnyskeleton

raido9 wrote:

Is it ok for a charity to keep pursuing money from you if you state that you are a student? I heard that it was illegal once, never found out if it was true or not.

It is illegal if they start stalking someone (i.e. harrasment). It's one thing to ask you a few times for money, or if a few different people ask you in different places, but quite another if the collector follows you home, sets up a tent in your garden and asks you for money every morning when you go to work and every evening when you come home.

dermot_sheehan

Street and House Collections Act 1962
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1962/en/act/pub/0013/print.html

Tim Robbins

gabhain7 wrote:

Street and House Collections Act 1962
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1962/en/act/pub/0013/print.html

Thanks for that. This was at the concert, they wouldn't let us in unless we paid a fiver to charity. A charity they had no evidence of. They were Gardai there and I pointed this all out to them but they didn't care.

Is this act relevant to this situation? It looks like it is and what they were doing was illegal. I think it might be a good idea if anybody wishes to continue this discussion with me they pm me.

templetonpeck

Tim Robbins wrote:

I was told it was in lieu of a "free" admission to a concert. When I asked them where the money was going they couldn't even say. When I refused to pay, I wasn't allowed into the concert.

That's incredible! I'm sick of being stung by jumped up nobodies who think because they were a flourescent jacket they're some type of authority figure.

Why don't you take it up with the event organisers? They advertised the concert as free. False advertising/misrepresentation. If it was a charitable organisation who organised it, can you complain to Charity Ombudsman or something?

Tim Robbins

templetonpeck wrote:

That's incredible! I'm sick of being stung by jumped up nobodies who think because they were a flourescent jacket they're some type of authority figure.

Why don't you take it up with the event organisers? They advertised the concert as free. False advertising/misrepresentation. If it was a charitable organisation who organised it, can you complain to Charity Ombudsman or something?

I will pm you.