Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Rehab Group is in receipt of in excess of €83 million of public funds, and the group and its enterprise enjoys the benefits of charitable status in the State. Last week, Ms Angela Kerins, the current chief executive officer of Rehab, appeared before the Committee of Public Accounts. At the meeting she refused to reveal details of the pay levels of senior executives within Rehab, and when pressed, she made a commitment that within the days following the meeting she would put the information on the public record. A week on, Ms Kerins and Rehab have failed to make the information public.

In the course of the same week I received much correspondence. One piece came from a young woman on an rehabilitative training programme from Rehab, and she had no difficulty sending me her payslip, which I have in the Chamber. This young person receives an income of €31.80 per week and has travel expenses of €15 deducted, meaning the net income as reflected by the payslip is €16.80. This person has no difficulty with her income being known publicly. Will the Tánaiste join me and the Committee of Public Accounts in insisting that Rehab and Ms Kerins make public the full information on payments to senior executives?

Mr. Frank Flannery, a former chief executive and acting member of the board at Rehab, was invited to attend last week's meeting but he did not show up. Mr. Flannery will be invited again before the committee and to make himself available to give the information in response to questions that we have. Will the Tánaiste join me, the Committee of Public Accounts and the Taoiseach in saying to Mr. Flannery that he should attend the committee at the earliest possible opportunity?

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