Kenny: Using charity donations to top up salaries ‘not acceptable’

Using charity funds to top up the payments of some staff of the Central Remedial Clinic is “not acceptable in any circumstances”, the Taoiseach has said.

Enda Kenny stopped short of calling on the CRC board members to resign in light of recent revelations that some staff are benefiting from extra payments using money raised from its fundraising arm, Friends and Supporters of the CRC.

He said when people donate to charity, they expect it to be used for those who need it most; in this case the thousands of children with disabilities who use the services and facilities of the CRC.

“The ordinary person who either pays their direct debit, or goes out and collects on flag days or pays money through whatever method to another facility, they fully expect that the money is still going for children and the facilities that they use.”

The CRC board is facing growing pressure to step down after a spokesperson revealed that company funds had been used to pay nine staff members additional salaries over what they were paid by the State. This included recently retired CEO Paul Kiely, who got a top-up of €116,949, an allowance of €19,016, and a pension contribution of €25,000. This was on top of his HSE-funded salary of €106,900.

Three Labour ministers agreed there should be a complete clearout of the 10-member board of the CRC, unless they provide answers to the authorities on the top-up payments.

Mr Kenny did not go this far. Shortly after arriving in Japan for a five-day trade mission, Mr Kenny was asked if he had full confidence in the CRC board. He said: “I don’t know any member of the board, I don’t think. But to have a situation like this is not acceptable in any circumstance.”

He said it was “no excuse” that the payments were being made from a separate company, the Friends and Supporters of the CRC. “It was raised with people’s money, and when people give money to something like the CRC, they would expect it to be used for those who require it and deserve it and they are children with the challenges they face.”

He said: “This is a difficult time of the year now for charities, who are working really well in the interest of using the money that they raise for what it’s intended.”