Rather than pass around a hand-held gadget - as they do with the traditional basket for cash - the machine is installed at the back of the church and members of the congregation are encouraged to donate after Mass has concluded. Last year, the Archdiocese of Dublin introduced this service in a small number of its churches on a pilot basis. With weekly parish collections down - partly due to the sharply declining numbers attending churches over the past quarter-century - some have also had to introduce a tap-to-donate device. If charities have had to move with the times, so too have churches. And it couldn't be simpler: the device is set to receive a €5 donation, but it can easily be adjusted for those who want to contribute more or less money. He says there has been a good response to the initiative in the six weeks that it has been in operation.
"People are not carrying cash with them like they used to and they have got used to 'tapping' and going on their way." "We really sensed that we had to move in this direction," says SVP spokesperson Jim Walsh. Now, when it comes to collecting outside churches and various events around the country, people can simply tap their debit or credit cards to give to the charity, or - depending on their bank - use their phones or smart-watches to make a quick donation. Just before Christmas last, SVP's fundraising team launched a new 'tap to donate' initiative.