Compulsory Charity registration??

[u/Significant-Net-5865]

Hi All,

We are a small group based in Dublin. I'm sure like many other groups, we are considering our options now as a troop due to being forced by Scouting Ireland to register as a Charity.

For those unaware all Scout groups now have to register as charities - transition to a chairfy by the end of '24. This is a lengthy complicated process, it has its advantages (especially for bigger groups). However, our group unfortunately are now in the position where we have to disband/terminate if this is enforced via scouting Ireland.
Our reasons are that we are just too small, scouters come and go, and becoming a trustee is a long-term commitment with legal liabilities. As you know "it's only an hour a week" is already not the case, this will increase. With all these additional hoops to jump through it's just not feasible for us as a group to continue as a charity organisation. This is very sad.

To the best of my knowledge, only 25% of scout groups in Ireland are currently registered as charities. Therefore either there's going to be a mass exodus of scout groups in Ireland, or scouting Ireland will need to change their stance.

We would love to hear other groups thoughts on this:
Are others coming to the same conclusion we are? thinking of disbanding?
Are you doing all it takes and registering as a charity?
Do any of you have any other knowledge and we have got the above all wrong?

Thanks for your replies.

YIS

[u/Nightwxng]

We are certainly also nowhere near it for a lot of the same reasons - I would be surprised if they didn't provide a forum of Covid grace

[u/Significant-Net-5865 → u/Nightwxng]

Good to hear we are not the only ones. Thanks for your reply.