External audit for McNeice’s tenure

An external company is to carry out a review of George McNeice’s tenure as chief executive of the Irish Medical Organisation.

IMO members voted at an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday to tender for an external company to conduct the audit.

It will look at Mr McNeice’s contract arrangements, pay and pension entitlements, as well as payments involving third parties, including the IMO’s associated financial and insurance companies. It was acknowledged that as part of the review Mr McNeice, Dr James Reilly, — the health minister who was a member of the IMO’s remuneration committee when Mr McNeice became chief executive — and other members of the organisation could be questioned.

The meeting dealt with issues arising out of the controversial departure package agreed with Mr McNeice last December.

His total package of pension and entitlements came to €9.7m after being negotiated down from a potential liability of €25m under a contract agreed in 2003.

The details caused outrage among IMO members who didn’t know what his salary was until his departure. Approximately 80 people in the organisation, which still has just under 5,000 members, have left since the revelations.

Members voted overwhelmingly to support three resolutions put forward by the council of the organisation. As well as voting for the independent review of the IMO’s financial issues including everything Mr McNeice was involved with, doctors also voted in favour of carrying out a review of corporate governance at the IMO, as well as the appointment of an executive committee to act in the place of the former chief executive.

It emerged that Mr McNeice is demanding payment of almost €10,000 for his health insurance for the years and claims ownership of a painting in IMO headquarters.

The IMO is in legal discussions with Mr McNeice about his demands but has sought proof of ownership of the painting and is rejecting his health insurance claim.

IMO president Dr Paul McKeown stressed the organisation is now in a process of renewal and wants to ensure no such financial debacle ever happens again.

Senior members of the IMO said they felt Mr McNeice had no grounds for any further financial demands and that there had been a lot of anger at the revelations of his financial package.

Meanwhile, it is unclear if Dr Reilly will attend next month’s annual general meeting of the IMO, as it emerged he may be questioned as part of an external review into the finances and running of the organisation.

Ministers for health traditionally attend the AGM every year and Dr Reilly has been invited as usual. However his attendance has not been confirmed, and his spokesperson said arrangements have yet to be finalised.

*The IMO’s AGM takes place in Killarney from Apr 4 to 6.