A 10% year-on-year decrease in fundraising revenue for Pieta House, partially due to a significant drop in income from the Darkness Into Light event, has led to the charity letting more than 30 employees go, following a restructuring programme.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, the chief executive of the charity, Stephanie Manahan, said: "We've probably seen a 10% decline year-on-year, over the past recent years, but that's not indicative of people's incredible efforts up and down the land.
"Despite all of those efforts, we have seen challenges - inflation, cost of living, the unpredictability and volatility of the world that we're living in - is impacting people's giving patterns," she added.
The drop in fundraising has been substantial.
Ms Manahan explained regarding Darkness Into Light: "We would have hoped we would have raised approximately €4 million, maybe a little bit over €4 million, last year would have raised €3.5 million - in and around."
She said a further projected 10% fall in overall fundraising this year led to a reduction in staff.
"We did have job losses during this phase [of restructuring] and last year's phase. In total, we will probably lose approximately 30-32 people throughout this process."
"Those decisions were difficult to make but they were the right decisions to make for us to deliver on our charitable purpose and for us to deliver responsibly."
Ms Manahan confirmed that some fundraisers had lost their jobs as the organisation restructures.
"We can look at diversifying, and looking at other income pathways and income work streams, and build out on more, I suppose, focusing on philanthropy, focusing on grants and applications."
She maintained that the challenges faced by Pieta House are not unique.
"Like so many other charities, we have been challenged over the last number of years. It has been difficult to sustain the income required to run the organization and to make sure that we can provide our services."
Waterford controversy
There was controversy this year in Waterford, for Pieta House, when it vacated a building in the city and the local group decided against participating in "Darkness Into Light."
The charity's chief executive defended the policy saying the organisation was moving to another location.
"By making this move, we can massively reduce our overheads, so we're doing that in, in a number of places.
"In Lucan, two years ago, we had to quit one of our buildings there, and we were able to, on foot of that, open in five other locations."
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Ms Manahan said the organisation's 24-hour helpline was still operating: "We have in-person therapy; we have virtual therapy; we have schools programs; we have suicide bereavement support services. So all of those services are untouched.
"All of those services are continuing, and indeed we're currently recruiting for therapists."
In recent years, the HSE has doubled its funding of Pieta House from €2 million to €4 million.
"We will continue to work with the State. We don't expect people to fill a gap in any sense or form. What we do expect a meaningful investment in services that deliver - in outcome and impact for the people in this country," said Ms Manahan.
She said anyone holding suicidal ideation, and struggling with that, they should "pick up the phone, and call us on 1800-247-247."
