An Taisce's financial crisis a 'ball of smoke'

The former chairman of An Taisce, Mr Michael Smith, has called for an explanation of how the impression was given out that the organisation was in financial crisis.

Calling on An Taisce to launch an internal investigation, he said Price Waterhouse Cooper's audited accounts showed an accurate and truthful position for 2003, the year he was chairman, which was financially positive.

Mr Smith welcomed the current direction of the organisation under its new leadership, but called for an inquiry into how a perception of financial crisis was allowed to develop earlier in 2004.

Speaking yesterday after the publication of An Taisce's annual report and accounts 2003, he said: "The annual accounts confirm what I had consistently advised the organisation and what last year's management board knew to be the case, that the finances of the organisation were in good shape. The alleged financial crisis was a ball of smoke."

According to the annual report An Taisce recorded a €9,000 surplus for the financial year 2003.

Financial difficulties at An Taisce were widely reported in the press in early 2004 and staff were made redundant.

"This was all illusory," said Mr Smith, who underlined the extraordinary growth of An Taisce's finances in recent years.