Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I refer to Deputy O'Donnell's question about Self Help, a Carlow-based NGO that receives multi-annual funding from my Department. Some issues have been raised regarding the charity and, from my investigations, it appears the matter is a power control issue within the charity. Different members of the board have differing views and I have asked my officials to investigate and produce a report. Reports in newspapers are vague but I am told informally that financial irregularity is not the subject of the controversy. The conflict appears to be centred on administrative costs but I assure the Deputy that none of the money provided by Irish Aid is in any way affected by administrative costs.

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