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CHILDREN’S CHARITY THE Jack and Jill Foundation is owed in the region of €300,000 after a company that raised funds for it went into liquidation.
In a statement today following a story published in the Sunday World on the issue, the CEO of the Jack and Jill Foundation, Jonathan Irwin, said that Folamh Ireland, the company involved in the charity’s recycling programme, went into liquidation in October 2012.
Folamh had been instrumental in supporting Jack and Jill to raise much-needed funds for home nursing care through the recycling of old mobile phones, which accounted for 7 per cent of the €37 million we’ve raised since 1997 and which successfully delivered €2 million worth of classroom equipment nationwide to schools.
Owed money
According to Irwin, Folamh Ireland’s closure has left Jack and Jill owed a “substantial amount of money” in unpaid mobile phone donations and a large number of schools and clubs awaiting equipment.
Jack and Jill is dealing with the liquidator and said that it estimates that Folamh Ireland owes it in the region of €300,000 in unpaid mobile phone donations.
The harsh reality is that we have not had mobile phone payments from Folamh since October 2011. In spite of this, we finished 2012 with a small surplus and that was due to the determination and generosity of our families, fundraisers and corporate partners all over the country for which we are very grateful.
Response
Over the past three months, the charity’s staff have been contacting the 184 schools that Folamh had contracted to supply equipment to in exchange for old mobile phones, which hadn’t been done by Folamh. It has honoured all of the Folamh equipment contracts from its limited funds where there was a clear contractual commitment by Folamh to deliver equipment.
We did this even though we were advised that we had no obligation to do so but in recognition of the wonderful support we have received over the years from schools across the country. However, for those schools and clubs who had ‘banked’ phones with Folamh Ireland, unknown to us and without any funds being donated to Jack and Jill, we must refer them to the liquidator – Michael Kennedy of Irish Insolvency Solutions, 32 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2.
Irwin said that while this is a blow, “it’s not a killer blow” and he wants to reassure people that the charity’s home nursing care programme for children with severe disabilities continues as normal, and that nursing hours will not be cut because of the situation.
The foundation is in the process of appointing new recycling partners, including Arc Telecom (part of DCC group), and will continue to recycle old mobile phones and cartridges. People with unwanted mobile phones can donate them by freepost to Jack and Jill Mobile Phones Appeal, Freepost F4968, M50 Business Park, Ballymount, Dublin 12.
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Watched him on the saturday night show lastnight what a great man he is and the story he told was very sad its men and women like these that we need running the country
Totally agree. He showed the state, HSE & politicians as a shameful failures.
Is every company in Ireland on the brink of collapse? And still the government want to squeeze them and us!!
If the various stats are correct literally half of all the companies in the state are at risk of closure. One more bad debt, one more lost client, one more bad surprise and they are gone. Scary.
Great cause and worth some cash from a country and people on its knees.
Please give if you can
A giant of a man, johnnie Irwin. I was giving out stink about the abysmal quality of the guests on The Saturday Night Show last night which I’d say hit a new low, then along came this gent and he blew me away!
….and without trying to one bit btw!!! I know a few charity junkies that are in it for nothing other than narcissism I’m afraid – not this man!!!
Hear hear. Pity he was on last and not long enough. Why were the others given more time than this man who actually does something important and speaks sense.
Jonathan Erwin FOR PRESIDENT he is but one of the best, god bless you
Folamh; doesn’t that translate as ‘empty’?
Awful news for Jack and Jill foundation. We need to give the Charity what little we can afford in these awful times. They do amazing work in difficult times.
This true gent should inspire us all to do our bit.
I have 25 old mobiles collected for Jack/Jill but I live in Waterford & don’t know how to get them to the foundation – somebody help!!!!
Pop them in an envelope and send by freepost to Jack and Jill Mobile Phones Appeal, Freepost F4968, M50 Business Park, Ballymount, Dublin 12.
Why the surprise, this is what happens in free market capitalist economies where the state farms out social services to voluntary organisations
Makes one sad to be Irish at this point in time. The country is being Raped beneath our feet every day. Only the Good decent people seem to be the ones doing all the suffering.
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