Flannery and Kerins object over PAC treatment

Former Rehab chief executives Frank Flannery and Angela Kerins have written to the body which sets Dáil rules objecting to how they were treated by the Public Accounts Committee.

Mr Flannery, who was a senior Fine Gael strategist until recently, has been asked to appear before the Dáil spending watchdog over his involvement with the charity, where he was also director in recent years.

Mr Kerins appeared before the committee while she was Rehab chief executive, but both she and Mr Flannery have declined in recent months to answer further questions.

While the PAC has sought to compel the pair to appear before it, the Dáil Committee on Procedures and Privileges (CPP) has questioned why it should be allowed do so.

Mr Flannery has now written to the CPP asking it to address how to repair the alleged damage done by the PAC to his public image in recent hearings, arguing that it strayed outside its legal remit in doing so.

Ms Kerins has also written to the CPP, arguing the PAC has no jurisdiction over Rehab since its accounts are not audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. She also said this meant the CPP could not grant the PAC compellability.

Meanwhile, a report into the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), which was drawn up by an interim administrator appointed by the HSE to run the institution late last year, is expected to be presented to the Oireachtas either tomorrow or Friday.

An interim report drawn up by administrator John Cregan in January caused widespread consternation when it revealed that the former chief executive of the CRC Paul Kiely had received a €740,000 retirement package. The PAC had previously been told only of a €200,000 lump sum payment made to him on his retirement after 24 years as chief executive.

The interim report from Mr Cregan said Mr Kiely received a €200,000 tax-free lump sum and a further €273,336 in a taxable payment. On top of this, “an amount of €268,689 was paid to [pension consultants] Mercer to ensure that Mr Kiely’s pension/lump sum benefits would not be less than if Mr Kiely had continued to remain on as chief executive until November 2016”.

The interim administrator’s report said that at about the time of the payments to Mr Kiely, €700,000 was paid by the Friends and Supporters of the CRC to the main CRC organisation in two instalments of €450,000 and €250,000. The payment was described in draft internal accounts as a “donation”.

A spokesman for the HSE said tonight it was anticipated the Cregan report would be given to the Oireachtas before the end of the week.