A total of €4.6 million has been raised so far in this year’s Late Late Toy Show charity appeal, RTÉ has said.
While that figure is down slightly from the more than €5 million raised at the same time last year, €30 million in total has been collected since 2020.
Of the €4.6 million raised since Friday, more than €3.5 million was donated through the Revolut app, with the remainder donated through the official website.
Donations through both options remain open until December 19th.
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The appeal, which began in 2020, was inspired by Saoírse Ruane, an amputee from Co Galway who appeared on the show that year. She died last March at the age of 12, having been diagnosed in 2019 with a rare form of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma.
Since 2020, more than 650 grants have been provided to registered charities across Ireland.
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal remains one of “the most important and impactful things that we do in RTÉ”, describing the €30 million raised to date as an “incredible milestone”.
“We are very grateful to the many individuals and families who have given to the appeal this year. These funds will provide valuable support, transformative in many cases, to children and their families in every county across the island,” he said.
The money raised this year will be allocated under three main areas of support: addressing essential needs for the most vulnerable children; health and wellbeing, including therapy and trauma support; and creativity and play.
Eligible registered charities will be invited to apply for grants through an open application process managed by Community Foundation Ireland.
Denise Charlton, chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland, said work is under way to turn the “huge generosity of viewers into actions which benefit children in every county”.
“The Community Foundation will use insights gained through 25 years of successful grant-making, together with advice from independent experts, to ensure the wishes of the Toy Show viewers are realised.”
