Ex-Console chief’s firm to support people in crisis

Disgraced former CEO of suicide prevention charity Console Paul Kelly has moved to set up a company to support people in crisis.

Mr Kelly was forced to step down from the charity in June after the Revenue Commissioners, Office of Corporate Enforcement, and other bodies opened investigations into lavish spending of funds. A decision was also taken to wind down Console, with Pieta House taking over on its services.

Sanctuary Consultants was registered with the Companies Office on September 27 and Mr Kelly is listed as the owner. A website set up describing the company is no longer available online.

Sanctuary Consultants, with a registered address in Clane, Co Kildare, is described as a specialist medical practice. Among the services listed on the website are programmes to help employees facing difficult and challenging times in their personal life and those with work concerns.

“Our services are delivered by highly experienced practitioners who have expertise in a range of people management issues,” the website claimed.

When asked whether he should be getting involved in the field of mental illness, Mr Kelly said he was looking at ways to become employed again.

In an interview published in the Sunday World, Mr Kelly denied claims he spent hundreds of thousands of euro of Console’s money to fund a lavish lifestyle for him and his family.

He claimed he was now completely broke and utterly reliant on State handouts. Calls to Mr Kelly yesterday went unanswered.

Mr Kelly has also criticised the HSE for not providing more money to Console and said he was proud of all that the charity achieved.

Mr Kelly said it was true that he had posed as a doctor and worked in a hospital for two weeks when he was younger and said it was a “stupid thing to do”.

He was not afraid that a Garda investigation of his time as head of Console could result in charges being made against him.

“I believe I worked very hard for the organisation and I deserve a bit of credit for that. I’m saying I did not misspend any money belonging to the organisation. And I’m very proud of what we achieved.”