System worked revealing Console irregularities, says Bruton

The regulatory system has worked in uncovering what was going on within the Console charity, Minister for Education Richard Bruton has told the Dáil.

He said issues had been revealed following an audit by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

“While this is very uncomfortable, this is the system working,’’ he added.

Mr Bruton said part of the work of this Government and the previous government was turning over stones which were not previously overturned.

Activities were going on that were totally unacceptable, he added.

Mr Bruton said through the work of the HSE and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) new governance standards had been introduced in respect of organisations like Console.

The Minister, who was taking Opposition Leaders' Questions, was replying to Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry who said the Government and the Oireachtas could not constantly depend on the sharpness and focus of the RTÉ television programme, Prime Time, when it came to looking after the hardworking staff in Console and the many charities throughout the country.

He said counsellors working for Console could be heard on the radio telling how they struggled to get paid monthly.

Mr MacSharry said the Government should set a precise date to update legislation on the matter so that it did not take Prime Time or an HSE audit to reveal issues like what had happened in Console.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said Prime Time had provided great public service in setting out a tale of truly outlandish spending on the part of the founder and his family.

“We have been down this road before, sadly, with other charities,’’ she said.