A Tuam-based web company has become the first company in Ireland to get permission from the Revenue Commissioners to introduce a new e-signature process which could help charities receive millions of euro in additional income.
iDonate, which is part of Western Webs, has been given the go-ahead for its Charity Tax Back initiative, which involves the automation of digital signatures for people making voluntary donations of €250 or more.
Charities can receive a 45% boost on all donations when donors fill in charity tax relief forms but previously this could only be done manually on paper.
Galway East TD and Minister for Rural Affairs Seán Canney raised the issue with the Revenue Commissioners.
He said: “It is clear that the cumbersome requirement to fill in forms manually was depriving charities of additional income.
“I am delighted that Revenue has given iDonate permission to use e-signatures, which will make the process much more efficient and will be of great benefit to those receiving contributions, including charities, churches and schools and all those organisations that can avail of the tax back opportunity.”
Technical Director at iDonate and designer of the Charity Tax Back eSign process Alan Coyne said: “This is great news for charities all over Ireland.
“iDonate will alert qualifying donors to the fact that the receiving charity could be entitled to an additional 45% of the value of the donation.
“The eSign initiative makes it much easier for charities to claim the millions of euro that were previously unclaimed.
“We can now replace the old pen and paper slogan of Print, Sign and Post with a streamlined eSign process of Sign Online and Submit.”
Mr Coyne said he wished to thank the Revenue Commissioners and Minister Canney for supporting the initiative.

EDITORS NOTE
iDonate was established in 2011 by Tuam-based Western Webs.
It was initially set up to support five Galway-based charities with online fundraising but now supports more than 1,000 registered charities nationally.
In 2019 iDonate expects to transact more than €5 million in charitable donations.
All donations are currently processed by Realex Payments.

For more information, contact Minister Canney on 086-2513639
September 27 2019