Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The current governance proposals arise from a resolution passed in November 2007, by the council of delegates of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The resolution urged all national societies, as requested by action 3 of the strategy for the movement, to examine and update their statutes, their rules and related legal texts by 2010, in accordance with the Guidance for National Society Statutes and relevant international conference resolutions. This task is being undertaken by many Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world.

The formal report of the working group established by the Irish Red Cross Society to examine the issue of governance was received in the Department of Defence in January of this year. In order to implement the recommendations made, significant amendments to the Irish Red Cross Society Order 1939 will be required. The 1939 order, which was made pursuant to the Red Cross Act 1938 provides for the current governance arrangements of the society.

Representatives of the society and officials from the Department of Defence have had a number of meetings to discuss the specific changes required to the 1939 order and work is ongoing in that regard. Officials from the Department have also met officials in the Office of the Attorney General to discuss the changes that need to be made. The rules of the society, as provided for in the 1939 order, will also need to be amended by the society to reflect the proposed governance changes. As of now it is not possible to give a precise timetable for the implementation of the required changes; however, this work is being prioritised in the Department and good progress is being made.

The recent appointment, by the President, of Mr. David O'Callaghan as chairman of the society is also a positive development. Mr. O'Callaghan is a former career civil servant with experience of matters relating to the Irish Red Cross Society from his time as Secretary General of the Department of Defence. I am fully confident that his appointment will help expedite the reform process under way in the society. The post of secretary general of the society, which is currently filled on an acting basis, was recently advertised and I expect that the society will be in a position to fill the post in the near future.

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