Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this timely debate in the Dáil and compliment my colleagues in the Social Democrats for tabling this motion. As my colleagues stated, we will be supporting it.

The general public has been outraged at the revelations over the past number of weeks of thousands of euros being spent on credit cards, luxury cars, a pony and rugby tickets. People were named as board members, although they were not on the board and did not realise they were being so named. People talk about the web of deceit and a morass of manipulation. It is fair to say that what was going on was nothing short of daylight robbery and people are quite rightly outraged. No one would condone a bank robbery but that this happened in a charity makes it seem so much worse. This type of theft, manipulation and deceit was not only morally wrong but preyed on the goodwill of the people.

The charity involved was established to support grieving families and vulnerable people who, at particular times in their lives, are at their weakest. Then someone used his position of influence and preyed on the good nature of the people who supported the charity. I want to put it on the record that I have spoken to people who used this charity and had very positive experiences of the charity and its staff. One could not but feel sympathy for those staff when they see what the founder was doing. I urge the Minister of State with responsibility in this area to move swiftly and comprehensively to ensure that those who rely on the services provided by this charity are not left waiting. We must move on this. I sent documentation to the Minister of State this evening on possible other charities and voluntary groups who are in operation in towns and counties where Console was in operation that she might consider to provide the same services.

The damage caused to Console is not exclusive to it. There is lasting damage to other charities as well. The Irish have a good record in terms of their generosity, which is why this needs to be dealt with swiftly and comprehensively. The HSE has covered itself in glory. In 2011, the HSE questioned this gentleman because he impersonated a doctor for a number of weeks. His very character was questioned but nothing happened. A former parliamentary assistant, the colourful Tommy Morris, made his concerns known to an assistant principal but nothing happened. The then Minister for Health is not sure if he was made aware but nothing happened. Despite the level of funding that was given by the HSE, it did not carry out the appropriate level of scrutiny of documentation, or the lack thereof, provided to draw down hundreds of thousands of euros of taxpayers' funds. There is the figure of €346,000 but no supporting documentation was provided. Other figures included €20,000 for clinical supervision, €36,000 for rent, €3,000 for IT support and €3,500 for stationery. Everything was rounded up. Those involved in their local GAA clubs know they would have to account for every pound, shilling and pence. Nothing would be rounded up and so neatly prescribed. It is unbelievable that this did not raise any doubts within the HSE.

I never realised until we examined this in detail that 30 years passed without any modification or reform of this critical legislation until the 2009 Act was brought forward by the then Minister, Mr. Pat Carey. The striking aspect to this, and something we should learn from, is that we are a great nation for saying we cannot afford to do it now. The relevant Minister in 2012, Mr. Alan Shatter, stated that we could not afford to commence the outstanding provisions that needed to be commenced due to the costs that would be incurred. We could not afford not to commence them. The Tánaiste announced last week that the outstanding provisions will be commenced. They should be commenced without delay. We have a record of sometimes being penny wise and pound foolish. In respect of this legislation, the then Minister, Mr. Shatter, was certainly penny wise and pound foolish.

See this speech in context