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SINN FÉIN’S MARY Lou McDonald said that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges (CPP) has yet to consider the Public Accounts Committee’s application to compel former Rehab chiefs to appear before them.
“The CPP hasn’t, as of yet, as I understand it, considered the application made by the PAC in respect of compellability,” she said, saying that a decision is due to be made on Wednesday.
“We have had no word back – it would be quite wrong to pre-judge the view of what the committee might be,” she said.
McDonald said that she was still hopeful that the CPP would uphold their application and that Angela Kerins and Frank Flannery would be compelled to appear before them.
Public Accounts Committee
“It would have been better all round if they had come voluntarily, but it appears that is not going to now take place,” she said.
The Irish Times reports today that former Rehab chief executive Angela Kerins has threatened legal action against the PAC.
When asked about the speculation that the PAC’s application is to be denied, she said that it was “not correct to say compellability has been denied – the process is underway and we hope it will be successful”.
“There is no slam dunk” for the Kerins and Flannery, she said as their application has not yet been ruled upon.
She denied allegations that the PAC were harsher on some attendees and that they gave others “an easy ride” saying that “while exchanges are robust and thorough… they are fair and even-handed… there is no selectivity,” said McDonald, adding that the PAC have a job to do for the tax payer.
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Welcome to Ireland. Nobody is guilty. Nobody does time. Nobody pays money back. Sick to death of it at this stage.
You elect the System/Government you deserve.
Funny I don’t remember the candidates I voted for saying they’d stand up for people gouging six figure salaries from charities.
The establishment have been making laws to protect itself against any kind of fruitful investigation or accountability since the founding of the state.. We need a new secular democratic republican constitution.
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.
Frederic Bastiat
Perfectly articulated and correct comment
Just look at recent history. Half a billion on two tribunals which found adverse findings against MANY top-establish-tees. Not so much as a Garda interview, never mind a case being brought against them. This ‘let’s eat cake’ mentality can only end bad in the long run.
The Oireachtas need to bring in a rule that any body that gets state funding is required to account for it on request from Oireachtas Committees.
Prionsais
That would exclude the PAC from asking the very question that Mr Flannery has been outraged over .
Having retired some seven years ago from the position of CEO of Rehab why would the Committee want to know the value of his pension fund and his salary at that date?
This form of questioning is so far outside the remit of the Committee it is evidence of bias and prejudice. It is also the reason why there will be no compulsion on the man to attend.
Mary Lou must be correct in her assertion that the Treatment of witnesses was even handed and fair!
Flannery continued to receive payments from the CRC after his retirement ,as a ‘consultant’ , if he has nothing to hide let him come and answer questions. The same goes for Kerins.
“Richard Rodgers” – On this particular subject , you consistently try to “protect” and suggest preventing these people from answering questions from a Dáil Committee entrusted with ensuring the legal usage of Public Money !
I ask you – Why Richard ?
Are you trying to protect “Friends” ?
Was the misuse of funding so criminal that you feel that it might be dangerous for Sean & Sheila Citizen , to find out what rip offs that these people were involved in ?
Please explain your reasons please ?
Ps. – I missed you Richard , are you fully recovered from the Election Results ? More great news over the weekend !
If the proposed Oireachtas banking inquiry follows the same tortuous path the public will remain as ignorant of sharp practice in the banking sector as they are of feather bedding in the charity sector. Why is disclosure of truth so painful? Are the politicians only attempting to apply the same standards of disclosure and transparency to charities that applies to the Exchequer funding of political parties?
@Myles look forget the banking inquiry they cannot even appoint members to inquire without messing it up and fighting about who should be appointed. No hope for the inquiry having any success….
Kerry, this messing about is intentional.
It’s nothing to do with the truth – it’s about the Uber Irish protecting each other and nothing more – something has managed to escape into the public domain and the aim now is a “controlled descent”.
Hard to imagine or picture Angela Kerins playing basketball….
Let it rain! White chocolate!
Someone put that meatloaf looking… mullet headed…sumo bodied WEAPON in a room alone with Mary Lou for an hour.
And let’s see what happens!
I don’t understand why there is a question of compellability; you reap what you sow.
When did it all start, this corruption and greed? My assumption is that it started small and grew. Nobody goes into public office with the intention of cleaning out the coffers, it’s just when they see everybody else at it and how easy it is, it becomes too easy. They just thought they would never get caught.
The people of this island voted only two years ago not to increase the powers of committees, and that means no compellibility to attend or answer questions. They did this because they were unhappy with government. Now they can’t understand why their actions have led to this situation, where people can effectively give two fingers to the state. The CRC told out and out lies before Christmas to try protect their bear sales. If the people of Ireland had actually taken the time to inform themselves of what each proposed constitutional amendment is about, and read the documentation sent to their door, rather than just voting against “the government” or believing soundbites from vested interests, the board members of the CRC would now be up on charges for contempt, and the politicians involved in the bank bailout would be shi77ing themselves.
Well said Barry, behind every bad politician is a woefully misinformed, uneducated electorate. Simple as that.
I disagree with your analysis Barry. I believe most objected to the constitutional amendment because they did not want to award judicial powers to legislators. This is in keeping with best Democratic practises.
In a properly functioning democracy these people (Kerins & Flannery) would be answering to a judge for the misappropriation of public funds. Not getting involved in a farcical Leinster house soap opera.
As there were no proper rules in place on the use of other monies for salaries etc. How were they misappropriating public funds? They took exactly the maximum allowed from public funds for salaries, then topped it up from other income streams within their organisations. Our committees lack teeth, so nobody fears them. The civil liberties nonsense was that it proffered judicial powers. It didn’t. It merely made attendance compulsory, and refusal to answer or knowingly answering contemptuous. At this stage, the judicial system would become involved. This seems to be the norm is most other “functioning” democracies.
Governmental committees with teeth that can compel individuals to submit testimony are performing a judicial function.
If existing rules are inadequate legislators need to explain their negligence in this regard.
So if legislators were doing what they are well paid to do rather than setting themselves up as a quasi-judiciary these issues may be dealt with in an effective and efficient manner without the theatrics.
“Other functioning democracies” is a bit of a stretch considering where we find ourselves. I believe dysfunctional democracy would be more appropriate.
her only regret was she didn’t rob them of there own personal savings! She is deeply proud of her actions with the previous smiley pictures! shes a dirty lil rat that deserves a slap!
I wonder if she paid for that Rod Stewart wig with rehab funds?
Great article. Thanks for the info, itâs easy to understand. BTW, if anyone needs to fill out a Maryland Form PAC, I found a blank form here.
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