The Irish Government hangs Volunteers out to Dry.

For over thirty years I have worked as an unpaid volunteer community development worker.

From the most humble tenants association, to credit unions and the illustrious heights of  success as a board member of the so called Ballymun Regeneration Limited, a €1.5 billion regeneration that is the largest regeneration of a residential community, ever undertaken in Europe.

I have a degree in Corporate Governance.

No more, never again.

Today, I am a board member of a Community Employment Scheme. The department of social protection has refused to provide funding for staff. The board members have been forced to close the project. For over twenty years this project has served the state well, with success rates well over the national average.

There is a redundancy situation for full time permanent staff. The project has no money to pay the redundancy. The department has refused to pay the redundancy.

As things stand now, the person will have to make an application to the same department, to avail of the insolvency fund to get the statutory redundancy.

This opens a can of worms for the board members.

Company law states that every employer, even those that are pure volunteers, is obliged to comply with all laws, and one of those, is, to provide redundancy for those that lose their jobs through redundancy.

Like every volunteer board, money is tight, and is spent on services and staff on a yearly basis. 

Financial reserves are non-existent in the volunteer community sector.

This means no volunteer board can provide funds for any redundancy payments.

To date, central government has always paid any redundancy that was due. But, no more.

The board members are now faced with the prospect of dealing with an outstanding debt to the department of social protection for the debt to the insolvency section.

This debt will be registered with the company’s office, and will remain there, until it is discharged. 

This will have a negative effect on the financial reputations of the board members.

A limited company has to get an independent auditor to file the accounts each year. These auditors have to be paid. As the debt will remain on the company records, then, this means the board members will have to pay for the auditor from their own pockets each year, and, in theory, this could go on forever.

The limited liability of the company means the board members will only be liable for a €1 share, but, the debt to the insolvency section will remain until the company is eventually written off by the company’s office.

This could mean that the board members might be banned from becoming a director of a limited company, either for paid work, or, as a volunteer in another community project. 

This could involve criminal proceedings in the courts.

It is highly unlikely that criminal proceedings would be brought against the board members, but, as volunteers, who would want that possibility hanging over them.

If you work for the state for free, then, you risk your financial reputation and also your personal reputation in your community.

No volunteer signs up for that, not even as a possibility.

I relied on the political system to protect me and the other board members. That protection existed when Kevin Humphreys was responsible for Community Employment, but, now that he is gone, the department are basically, kicking the board members to death.

Ironically, this project is based in the constituency of the former Minister Joan Burton, and, the current Minister, Leo Varadkar. 

One would think that, the location would provide some level of protection for the project, but, it seems neither of them are bothered, that, a community development project in the constituency is being forced by the officials to close down, and, for no good reason.

There is no protection, and civil servants are using all its muscle to make sure the board members are made so uncomfortable, that, it is tantamount to torture.

If you are a volunteer board member, then you should consider your position. My advice is to resign immediately. That is the only way you can be sure to be safe.

I have no idea where I go from here.

I know this though. I will never again volunteer to work free of charge, with any Irish government.