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Home Page > News > World Giving Index shows Ireland to be 2nd most charitable country - after US

World Giving Index shows Ireland to be 2nd most charitable country - after US

Even amid financial crisis, the Irish rally round

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 7:55 AM

Updated Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 7:55 AM

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According to a new survey released this week by the group Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), Ireland is currently the second most charitable nation in the world.

Photo by Google Images

According to a new survey released this week by the group Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), Ireland is currently the second most charitable nation in the world.

The new report, titled the World Giving Index 2011, lists the US as the most charitable country in the world, followed by Ireland and then Australia.

The report closely examined the charitable behavior of people in 153 countries, measuring three leading indicators they call 'giving money,' 'volunteering time' and 'helping a stranger.'

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The heart Ireland - nations compassion and social awareness
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The study indicates that the world has become a more charitable place in last 12 months with 2% more charity givers in the global population opting to 'help a stranger.'

The most generous nation in Europe overall, the study found, is Ireland which also ranks second globally.

Last year, Ireland was ranked in third place internationally. This year the study found that 75% of the Irish population gives money to charity every month, 38% volunteered their time and 65% helped strangers.

Nster.com

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ciaradexy | Dec 26, 2011, 06:21 PM EST

Ive noticed GeorgeDillon gets abusive when he loses an argument or when he's proven wrong! Haha! Tool!

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ciaradexy | Dec 26, 2011, 06:09 PM EST

GeorgeDillon-some of us work Christmas day. Hospitals dont close just because its a religious event. Some people in Ireland arent actually religious but I know thats a bit of a shock to you. Today is actually called St Stephens day in Ireland. Im surprised you didnt know that seeing as youre all knowing on all things Irish. I volunteer with Barretstown, Focus ireland, Simon Community, Chernobyl Childrens Project and the DSPCA. I can assure you I get plenty of thanks from plenty of wonderful people whom I am lucky enough to have met an spent time with over the past 6 years. You on the otherhand are exactly the kind of American that makes Irish people dislike Americans. Maybe you should try some charity work? It might make you more palatable to people on this site.

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Newrone | Dec 26, 2011, 01:12 PM EST

@ GeorgeDillon "I note you were online on Christmas Day trying to abuse and insult."

Wow, you are one sad, bitter, arrogant & bigoted individual! Do you even recognize the irony of that statement?

I don't know you but from all your posts it would seem that your sole objective in life seems to be to 'abuse and insult'.

A further irony again that you are commenting on an article on charity! Lighten up a little!

Some of the most charitable people I have met live in some of the poorest economies, but they won't feature in the 'World Giving Index 2011'.

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GeorgeDillon | Dec 26, 2011, 09:38 AM EST

ciaradexy-- Why would anyone thank you? No one respects you. Incidentally, did you miss my mix of candid comment and insightful analysis for the past few days? I was busy with Christmas matters, both religious and social. I note you were online on Christmas Day trying to abuse and insult. Not much Christmas spirit. You really had nothing better to do than write bunk on Christmas Day? Hope your Boxing Day brings you something more fulfilling. Have to go now, but I'll be back with more candid commentary before the New Year.

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ciaradexy | Dec 25, 2011, 03:51 PM EST

GeorgeDillon-''If you had even average reading comprehension you'd have understood that those who should be thanked are the suffering Irish taxpayers, what's left of them.'' I AM one of these taxpayers in Ireland AND Im a volunteer so how the hell would you know if I had ever received thanks from someone I have worked with? Stop making assumptions regarding something you know nothing about from your ivory tower in the States. You truly are a complete tool!

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ciaradexy | Dec 25, 2011, 11:06 AM EST

GeorgeDillon-''The cost to the Irish taxpayer runs to billions every year. (I've never seen a word of thanks from any of the beneficiaries.)''. I pay tax in Ireland AND I volunteer in Ireland so how would YOU, an American living and working in America no doubt, know if I have had any one thank me? Seriously, you should stop making assumptions because you really do not have a clue!

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ciaradexy | Dec 25, 2011, 11:03 AM EST

GeorgeDillon, I AM one of those tax paying Irish people so you really shouldnt comment on issues you know nothing about! I take issue with a 10th generation yank telling me what I should and should not be doing.

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GeorgeDillon | Dec 23, 2011, 08:20 AM EST

eiriamach--I thought you said you were a Bible Bum? So what's with using a quote in Latin? That's OUR liturgical language, the Catholic liturgy, not that of the Paisleyite fundamentalists you consort with.

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sirpeter | Dec 22, 2011, 04:40 PM EST

Georgie Boy.What were you saying to me about adult literacy classes?."Expenditure of hundreds of millions, probably millions" Is that what you typed? haha.Merry Christmas Georgie Ebenezer Scrooge.Immigrants!! Charity!! Bah!!Humbug!!

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eiriamach | Dec 22, 2011, 03:36 PM EST

"For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’" (Matt 25:35-40). Then the king will turn toward the "cursed ones" and send them into "'eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For ... I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home" (43). For the relentless orange-peeler GeorgeD, Fiat tibi secundum verbum hoc.

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GeorgeDillon | Dec 22, 2011, 02:11 PM EST

"probably millions"---should read "probably billions".

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GeorgeDillon | Dec 22, 2011, 09:40 AM EST

CaptainCon: By what weird logic do you think that someone who opposes the expenditure of hundreds of millions, probably millions, on foreign migrants ipso facto doesn't care about how the bankers and their political friends brought the country to ruin? As I have said here on many occasions, the same gangsters who brought Mass Immigration to Ireland have now brought Mass Emigration.

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merefalow | Dec 22, 2011, 08:40 AM EST

the whole charity thing needs overhauling,if you think its about a sweet little old lady giving up her time to run a charity shop you couldnt be more wrong.help the aged,4 directors on 90.000 a year,last time i checked.charity is a multibillion pound business,expense accounts, foreign travel ,tax exemptions,and no independent checks,it stinks,aspecially as people are so good hearted and generous,the whole system needs overhauling and tranparent scrutiny.i,m not including the realy caring hard working people who genuinely struggle to raise money ,just the big business rip off ones..

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CaptainCon | Dec 22, 2011, 04:58 AM EST

Hey George, add up the corporate welfare bill handed out to Irish banks and IBEC over the years out of taxpayers money and then compare it with the annual social welfare bill over however many years you like. Sean Fiztpatrick, a year before he turned out to be Ireland's biggest benefit thief (way into the billions) gave a speech in which he attacked social welfare payments to single mothers. Looks like corporate rentboys can't count- they certainly go blind in one eye on the mathematics of costs to the country. To them it is as if corporate welfare doesn't exist. If they did were able to do the math they'd simply go quiet.

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GeorgeDillon | Dec 22, 2011, 12:42 AM EST

ciaradexy--yet another semiliterate, it appears. If you had even average reading comprehension you'd have understood that those who should be thanked are the suffering Irish taxpayers, what's left of them. Have some sense and don't be such an idiot.

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