BARNARDOS will not repeat the one-week closure of services next year, the Herald has learned.
The children's charity, which runs more than 40 offices countrywide, was forced to shut down for a week in August due to an escalating cash crisis.
It followed similar dramatic action in August 2012 when around 400 staff agreed to take a week's unpaid leave.
A spokeswoman said "as things stand" it does not plan to shut down for a third time in 2013 – despite repeated cuts to State funding over the past four years.
REDUCTION
The decision to suspend services for a week in 2012 saved about €400,000 and was the latest in a series of money-saving measures within the organisation.
These included slashing wages and making 14 staff redundant, mostly from administration. The remaining staff agreed to a pay cut of more than 10pc which also involved a reduction in increments.
"All our cost-cutting measures have been implemented and at this stage it's not in our plans to close next year," a spokesperson confirmed.
"There have been some redundancies as part of our cutbacks programme, but there are no other lay-offs planned at the moment"
hnews@herald.e