MADELEINE Delaney, Chief Executive of Charities Regulator, Jerry Buttimer, Minister of State for Community Development and Charities, and Gerry Kearney, Chair of Charities Regulator.

Galway has third highest number of charities

Published: Thu 30 Jul 2026, 10:30 AM

THERE were over 650 registered charities in Galway last year, according to the 2025 annual report of the Charities Regulator.

The report confirmed that a dozen new charities were registered in Galway last year, bringing the total figure of registered charities in the county to 658.

This meant that Galway had the third highest number of registered charities in the country last year following Dublin (3,097) and Cork (1,182).

The report published by the Charities Regulator, which is an independent statutory body for registering and regulating charities in Ireland, also highlights that 681 concerns relating to charities were raised with the regulator last year, an increase of 38 per cent compared to 2024.

The number is almost 12 per cent above the five-year average (603 concerns) for the years 2021-2025.

Concerns about governance standards continued to be the most common type of issue raised with the Charities Regulator in 2025, accounting for almost 40 per cent of total concerns last year.

Unregistered organisations presenting themselves as a charity is the second most reported concern, followed by concerns around financial control and transparency.

“With almost 11,500 charities registered in Ireland at the end of 2025, we can expect some fluctuation in the numbers of concerns raised with the regulator from year to year,” said Madeleine Delaney, Chief Executive of the Charities Regulator.

“For that reason, we are not unduly concerned by the overall number of concerns received in 2025."

However, Ms Delaney has expressed concerns at the continued pattern of governance-related issues.

“It suggests that some trustees are not fully in control of their charities or are unsure about how to manage them effectively and make good decisions in the best interests of the organisation," she said.

Minister of State for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer believes it is vitally important that those involved with the running of a charity understand their role and duties under the Charities Act and take these responsibilities seriously.

“It is essential that the public have trust that the charities they support have high standards,” he said.