I remember being asked for my opinion on this by one of the charities that was going to get involved, when this idea was first mooted. I haven't changed my stance since then -- this idea was ill-conceived and not thought through to a logical conclusion. There is simply no way that any responsible government minister could effectively take a revenue stream and direct it through the voluntary sector without putting adequate controls in place, effectively duplicating the work of the Irish Aid section of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Secondly, there would (rightly) be uproar if the government on the one hand decided that they no longer needed this revenue and on the other hand decided to force every cardholder to pay an equivalent amount to a group of charities, whose aims might not all appeal to everybody. In other words, there would have to be an opt-out clause, and most people would take it.
In essence, this proposal was very badly thought through. I understand that the promotor is an accountant -- glad he's not doing my books!