Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Rehab Group has appointed the independent management consultant Dr. Eddie Molloy to advise on strategy, rebuild morale within the organisation and repair a damaged reputation, according to its own press release. It also talks about the damage done to other charities because of the serious issues raised regarding the operation of Rehab. Many issues have emerged recently, in particular the necessity for the former CEOs Mr. Frank Flannery and Ms Angela Kerins to ensure they appear again before the Committee of Public Accounts. The issues are serious and involve the expenditure of a considerable amount of public money and the organisation paying for the lobbying of Departments, including the Departments of Education and Skills and Social Protection. The organisation, allegedly, paid its director Mr. Flannery for lobbying the Government on a range of issues, including the charitable lotteries issue and National Learning Network. Given that Mr. Flannery had unparalleled access to the Government, the Taoiseach in particular - he enjoyed a pass from Fine Gael to enter Leinster House unhindered - the issues are serious. Was the Taoiseach aware at any stage that Mr. Flannery was being paid by Rehab to lobby Ministers and Departments? Does he agree with me that there is a serious question mark over the ethical correctness of such action? Does he believe it is correct and proper that a section 39 body such as Rehab, that enjoys regular engagement with the Government and Departments because of the nature of its relationship with the State, should pay its director to lobby Ministers and Departments? I do not, but I would like the Taoiseach's view on it. Does he accept that it is extremely important that Mr. Flannery and Ms Kerins respond to the request from the Committee of Public Accounts and appear before it to ensure full transparency on all of these issues?

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