Red Cross denies flood aid claims

THERE has been no delay in the distribution of the €1.4m donated by the public to help those affected by the floods before Christmas, the Irish Red Cross insisted yesterday.

It was responding to a report in a Sunday newspaper claiming that the crisis-ridden charity, whose indebtedness was highlighted in the Dáil last week, had not spent any of the money.

A spokesperson for the charity said €16,000 of the money raised had already been given to an initiative announced last December by Lord Mayor of Cork Dara Murphy to co-ordinate relief efforts by various charitable organisations.

The society said it would be announcing further details of the allocation of funds this week as part of its planned ongoing communications with the public.

It said it has been actively advertising and informing people with details of its application process and payment time-lines.

The €1.4m was donated to the society by the public over the last three months and people directly affected by the flooding were invited to apply for humanitarian assistance.

The original closing date for applications had been extended by two weeks to February 5 and, since late January, a team of four assessors have been visiting the vast majority of applicants’ homes to complete the assessment process.

The Government has yet to appoint a chairman of the Irish Red Cross after David Andrews stepped down last November.

A spokesperson for the Irish Red Cross said the organisation had been working with its international partners and the Government to modernise its structures and governance.

It is understood a sub-committee report on the matter is currently with the Government and it recommends the new head of the organisation should be referred to as patron and should be the President of Ireland. It also recommends replacing the existing central council by a general assembly that would have to approve all major decisions and elect a 12-member board.