RTE Late Late Toy Show

Friday 24 November, 9.35pm

Patrick Kielty is getting Toy Show ready, as he preps himself for the biggest night of the year with a little help from the experts. Check out this year’s promo as everyone is invited to Be Toy Show Ready!

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-Repeated Sunday 26 November with Audio Description, Sunday 26 Nov 3.15pm  RTÉ One

The countdown to the most wonderful night of the year has just begun. The Late Late Toy Show 2023 will be as magical as ever. This the first edition hosted by Patrick Kielty following Ryan Tubridy’s departure from the show.

The Late Late Toy Show is an annual, special edition of the Irish chat show The Late Late Show. Airing annually on RTÉ One on 24th November to coincide with the holiday shopping season, the Toy Show showcases the popular toys of the year, as presented by the host and demonstrated by various children on-stage, along with appearances by celebrity guests.

Ryan Tubridy has wished good luck to his Late Late Show successor Patrick Kielty ahead of his Toy Show debut on Friday.

Ryan has hosted the show for 14 years until he stepped down last March. He has extended well wishes to new Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty ahead of the Down native’s first Toy Show.

Ryan the ex-RTE star announced he will turn on the Christmas lights in Clifden, Co Galway on the same night as Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty makes his debut on the toy show.

 

SOFT Ireland were disappointed our Toy Show Grant application was unsuccessful again this year. We sent in a detailed submission based on feedback from our families of trisomy children up to 18 years.

We wrote to The Community Foundation of Ireland (CFI) to express our deep disappointment and frustration and to obtain further feedback on our unsuccessful application. CFI distribute the Late Late Toy Show Fund.

We have failed in the previous three years for this funding and the feedback from CFI has been very limited and has not been of sufficient detail for us to secure a successful application.

Toy Show Appeal Grant 2023

This year we applied for funding under three project headings, yet the feedback given “……..CFI unfortunately cannot fund organisations more than 50% of their annual income” only relates to a budget element and nowhere on the application form, did it specify that CFI cannot fund more than 50% of annual income.

Our projects would be possible with a smaller amount of funding. Two of our objectives of Therapy Sessions or Respite Breaks would amount to less than 50% of our income so why did we not get funding for one or the other? Our families all support Toy Show Appeal every year and deserve some share of millions raised. Projects this year in 2023 were specified to be from €20000 to €150000. In that case you would need a turnover of at least €40000 if the 50% rule was specified in advance. SOFT applied on the basis that there was NO reference to this rule in the application notes. SOFT did not apply for any Home Support as part of the application this year because of the refusal on that basis last year.  But if you look at the successful applications this year you will see that at least one or more groups got funding for Home Support. Also another issue grants as low as €6000 given out in 2023 which is well below the minimum €20000 specified in application notes.

Toy Show Appeal Grant 2022

We were refused last year 2022 and there was even some confusion between Home Support and Social Welfare. SOFT understands the difference. Home Support is a well established principle and should not be the total responsibility of Social Welfare. We appealed and would have expected to get a better response in 2023. CFI stated that applications should be from Groups with less that €500,000 turnover in 2022. But how less is the question?. Grants as low as €5000 given out in 2022.

Toy Show Appeal Grant 2021

In 2021 we were not even able to apply because our income wasn’t over €500,000 turnover as specified by CFI. So where does that leave us. Thankfully we can still can rely on the generosity of the general public to help us out but we are struggling a bit!

The SUPPORT ORGANISATION FOR TRISOMY (S.O.F.T.) was founded in Ireland in 1991 as a voluntary group dedicated to providing support for families of children diagnosed and born with the chromosomal disorders – Patau’s Syndrome or Trisomy l3 and Edwards’ Syndrome or Trisomy 18.