Governance
Tearfund Ireland is governed by the Board of Directors which is responsible for setting and monitoring the strategic direction, signing off on annual plans and budgets, establishing policy and monitoring compliance and reviewing the outcomes of the statutory audit. The Board ensures the highest standards of governance, accountability, transparency, financial oversight and ultimately the achievement of strategic and programmatic goals. A Code of Corporate Governance (based on Dóchas’ code) guides the Board in its role, and the functioning of the Board is monitored against this. The Directors are volunteers and receive no remuneration.
The Board operates four Sub-Committees and two advisory councils which are listed below. Each committee is guided by a Terms of Reference and each has at least two Directors within its membership.
- Development Committee
- Audit and Risk Committee
- Governance Committee
- Fundraising Committee
- Church Advisory Council
- Theological Advisory Group
Charities Governance Code
The Charities Regulator has introduced a new Governance Code to which all Irish charities must comply beginning 2020. This code is made up of six principles which ensure the charity meets it objectives with integrity and is managed in an effective, efficient, accountable and transparent way. From the year 2021 all charities must formally register their compliance to the Governance Code with the Charities Regulator.
In February 2020 Tearfund Ireland began its review of the Governance Code and in November 2020 the Board of Directors confirmed the organisation’s compliance with this Governance Code.
Where Your Money Goes
Tearfund Ireland uses its finances effectively and is committed to keeping organisational costs as low as possible. This is made possible through the support of enthusiastic volunteers who raise funds, pray, work in our office and share our vision with others. The Board of Directors is committed to ensuring organisational costs remain within acceptable levels while also investing in the continued development of the organisation.
Annual and Financial Reports
Report and Financial Statements 2023
Report and Financial Statements 2022
Report and Financial Statements 2021
Report and Financial Statements 2020
Report and Financial Statements 2019
Report and Financial Statements 2018
Report and Financial Statements 2017
Report and Financial Statements 2016
Report and Financial Statements 2015
Report and Financial Statements 2014
Report and Financial Statements 2013
Report and Financial Statements 2012
Report and Financial Statements 2011
Safeguarding
We are committed to protecting from harm the young people with whom we work. We operate in adherence to the principles of the Children First Act 2015 and Child Safeguarding, a Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice 2018, as well as our Tearfund Ireland policies, to mitigate the risk of harm. You can read our Child Safeguarding Statement HERE and our Declaration of Guiding Principles HERE. We also adhere to our policy on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment.
Professional Standards
Tearfund Ireland operate to a range of international standards.
We are a signatory to the Code of Conduct to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief. This means that our ‘aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone.’
We are committed to the high technical quality of our projects, working towards the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS).
We are members of Dóchas, an umbrella body of Irish development charities and signatories to the Code of Conduct on Images and Messages.
We are members of the Code of Good Practice for Development Education. Members of this Code commit to strengthening their Development Education practice through an annual self-assessment process. Further information on this Code is available HERE.
Comhlámh Code of Good Practice
We are a signatory to the Comhlámh Code of Good Practice. It is a set of standards for Irish Volunteer Sending Agencies facilitating international placements. The Code is based on a vision of volunteers working in solidarity for a just, equitable and sustainable world. It promotes responsible and responsive volunteering to ensure a positive impact for the overseas project and community, the volunteer and the sending agency.
Every Volunteer Sending Agency, which is party to the Code of Good Practice, commits to the implementation of the Code’s five values that underpin the work of international volunteer programmes. These are solidarity, respect, social justice, ecological sustainability and integrity. Full details of the Code are here.
Professional Networks
We are part of the global family of Tearfund organisations.
Tearfund Ireland is a founding member of The Irish Emergency Alliance (IEA). Launched in September 2020, The IEA is currently a group of six Irish based international charities who have joined forces to act as a one-stop-shop for the public, for media, and for information during the crisis. By working together, the Irish Emergency Alliance can reduce fundraising costs and make donations stretch much further.
Tearfund is part of a number of different networks both at a national, EU and global level. We are also part of several different working groups as part of our involvement with Dóchas including a Policy working group, a Development Education working group, Results working group and the Humanitarian Aid working group. We are also part of the Quality and Impact working group for Development Education with IDEA (Irish Development Education Association) and on the Volunteering in Orphanages working group with Comhlámh, the umbrella organisation for volunteer sending agencies.
On the European and global levels we are a member of EU-CORD, a network of 23 European Christian Relief and Development NGOs that work alongside over 1000 implementing partners worldwide. We are also a member of Integral Alliance; Integral is a global alliance of 23 Christian relief and development agencies, working together to present a more effective response to poverty worldwide and specifically cooperate in humanitarian responses. Integral Members work in 90 countries, across 40 sectors, and have a network of over 740 local partners.
FAQs
How can I support Tearfund Ireland’s work?
How much of my donation is used for fundraising?
What salary is paid to your Key Management Personnel?
The gross pay to the Key Management Personnel for the financial year ending 31st March 2020 was €61,597 plus 7% pension contribution.
How many people work in Tearfund Ireland?
10 employees in Dublin, Four of whom are part-time. Two employees in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
How many countries do you work in?
Tearfund Ireland is currently responding in nine countries.
Where is your headquarters?
Our Headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. We also have a regional office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Do you pay tops ups or bonuses?
No.
Does any of my donation go to governments overseas?
No.
Does Tearfund Ireland engage in on-street fundraising?
No.
Who are the board and trustees? Do they get paid? How are they appointed?
The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction of Tearfund Ireland – setting targets, signing off annual plans and budgets and reviewing the outcomes of the statutory audit.
Members of the Board of Directors are not paid. The directors are also trustees of the charity.
Directors are appointed by the members at the Annual General Meeting and are selected based on criteria established in the Board’s Terms of Reference. The Board may also appoint a director to serve until the next Annual General Meeting, at which time he or she would cease to hold office but would be eligible for election. There are currently seven serving directors They are Páraic O’Toole (Chair), Sharon Morrow (Vice-Chair), Richard Barkley (Treasurer), Susan Heaney, Lucy Hill, Dr.Oghenovo Oghuvbu and Dr. David Weakliam.
Complaints
Tearfund Ireland believes in maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and we are dedicated to upholding our reputation of transparency and integrity. We listen and respond to the views of our supporters and of the general public so we can continue to improve. We commit to resolving any queries or complaints as quickly as possible.
Feedback and Complaints
Tearfund Ireland is committed to maintaining the highest standard of professionalism throughout our work. We listen and respond to the views of the general public, our supporters, partners and beneficiaries so we can continue to improve.
If you have feedback
Tearfund Ireland welcomes feedback or suggestions which will help us improve. If you have any feedback, we would love to hear from you. All comments will be brought to the person with responsibility for that area who will respond to your communication within 7 working days.
Email: [email protected] Phone: 01 878 3200
Or go to our Contact Us and select ‘Feedback’ from the drop down menu.
If you have a complaint
Tearfund Ireland also welcomes your complaint. Hearing from you in this way will help us identify where we’ve fallen short, address the matter and improve the way we work. Overall, we aim to ensure that:
- it is as easy as possible to make a complaint;
- any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our operations which calls for a response is treated as a complaint;
- we treat a complaint seriously and address it quickly, professionally and politely;
- we learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at Board level.
- we handle all data in accordance with the GDPR and our data protection policy.
(Step One) Making a complaint
If you have a complaint about any aspect of our work, you can contact our office in writing or by telephone (details below). Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond to you, providing relevant contact details.
Go to our Contact Us and select ‘Problem / Complaint’ from the drop down menu
By Phone: 01 878 3200
By Letter: FAO: Chief Executive Officer,
Tearfund Ireland, 2nd Floor, Ulysses House, 22-24 Foley Street, Dublin 1, D01 W2T2
What happens next?
If you make a complaint in person or over the phone, we will endeavour to resolve the issue there and then. If you submit a complaint by email or in writing, we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 4 working days and do everything we can to resolve the matter within 14 working days. If this is not possible, we will explain why and provide a new time-frame within which we will respond.
(Step Two) What if the complaint is not resolved?
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to Tearfund Ireland Chair of the Board. The Chairperson will ensure that your appeal is considered at Board level, at the earliest opportunity, and will respond within 14 working days of this consideration by the Board.
Whistle Blowing
If any staff member of our partner organisation, any beneficiary of our work or Tearfund Ireland employee, volunteer or Trustee becomes aware of, or concerned about, the possibility of wrongdoing in Tearfund Ireland, this should be reported in confidence to either the:
CEO of Tearfund Ireland
Chair of Governance Committee or Chair of Audit & Risk Committee
Directly to this email: [email protected]
All concerns raised will be taken seriously and handled in confidence. All issues will be investigated and actions will be taken in accordance with Tearfund Ireland policies.
Charities Regulator
Tearfund Ireland is committed to remain compliant with the Charities Governance Code. If you wish to raise a complaint to the Charities Regulator, you can contact their offices at the details below:
01 633 1550
Contact Us
Please contact us if you have any queries or complaints about any aspect of our work.
