ISPCC aims to regain confidence of public in its operations

The immediate priority for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is to convince the public and the statutory agencies that it is a reputable charity committed to the welfare of children, its acting chief executive, Mr Paul Gilligan, has said.

In his first extended interview since the resignation of the society's chief executive, Mr Cian O Tighearnaigh, he would not say why the ISPCC had agreed to issue a joint statement with Mr O Tighearnaigh, announcing the resignation.

In the statement at the weekend the society expressed "appreciation of the considerable achievement of Cian since he joined the agency in 1981 and especially since he became chief executive in 1987".

Mr O Tighearnaigh's resignation on Saturday night came seven months after his arrest by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation and his later release. He had taken extended leave intended to last only until gardai had completed their investigations.

The investigation was prompted by a Sunday Business Post report that the charity's street collectors had not been paid the full commissions due to them. "I simply cannot expand on the statement", Mr Gilligan said at the ISPCC's headquarters in Dublin yesterday.

"Obviously the events of the last few months have resulted in difficulties for the staff and volunteers." The mood at the charity over the past six months, he continued, had been one of "a commitment to fix the problems and continue the important work".

A review of the charity's accounts by the Eastern Health Board, initiated in February, had been completed, he said, and the charity was "in constant discussion with the health board" about this, although he would not discuss its findings. An EHB spokeswoman said that the review would be available early next month.

Mr Gilligan said no decision had been reached on whether to make public details of a review of the charity by the accountants Deloitte & Touche.

However, its recommendations, including the establishment of new management structures, were being implemented.

Donations had not been adversely affected by the controversies of recent months, he said. About "one-sixth" of the society's funding was statutory and the charity was "heavily dependent on voluntary donations".

Although it has about 70 street collectors in the Republic, he said there would be a move away from street collections to "less intrusive fund-raising" in the future.

"There will be a giving-system which is not dependent on cash on the streets, such as counter collection boxes. There will more ongoing means of contributing like standing orders and we are hoping to develop a way general donations can coincide with particular projects."

He said a donor might contribute £1,000 to the Leanbh project [which targets children begging], but that some of that might be put towards a permanent project, such as a children's walkway. Something like a plaque to the donor would be erected there, he said.

On criticisms of the ISPCC for its treatment of volunteers, many of whom left after they were "derostered" for not selling £300 worth of tickets for an internal draw, he admitted that the "compulsion element was a mistake".

One of the results of the "volunteer commission" established to listen to grievances would be that a balance would be sought between "support and supervision".

"The number of volunteers has grown from about 40 to 50 five years ago to closer to 400 today. Our management structures have to change to accommodate that and remain attractive."

He said the society would continue to criticise Government services - a cause of tension in the past.

"We feel the [health] boards have been overly sensitive and have failed to accept the benefits of an independent agency. But if they believe we are overly aggressive we have to look at why. We intend to be supportive."