Kerins ‘had to deal with threats to personal safety and false allegations’

The outgoing CEO of the Rehab Group has outlined to staff how “threats to her personal safety” and “false allegations” levelled against her played a major role in her decision to step down.

In a letter written on the eve of announcing her retirement, Angela Kerins said the public controversy surrounding the charity had taken its toll both on her and on her family.

“In addition, I have had to deal with threats to personal safety and also false allegations which my lawyers are firmly dealing with,” she wrote.

Despite dedicating her “energies and abilities to growing and developing the Rehab Group for the last 22 years”, Ms Kerins said she was “of the clear view” it was in everyone’s best interest that she step down. She announced her plan to retire yesterday.

Ms Kerins said that key to Rehab’s success “must be a continued focus to ensuring that its social values are underpinned by financial stability”.

The group’s finances have been under intense scrutiny in recent months after much criticism of salaries paid to executives in the charities sector.

While Ms Kerins initially refused to disclose her salary, the group eventually admitted she was paid €240,000. It also emerged before a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that 12 senior managers at Rehab are earning in excess of €100,000.

Brian Kerr, chair of the Rehab Group, said Ms Kerins had “always striven to ensure that those who needed services received the best possible support”.

Ms Kerins and her predecessor Frank Flannery, former Fine Gael director of elections, have been at the centre of controversies surrounding remuneration levels and consultancy fees. Mr Flannery is due to appear before the PAC on April 10, despite having resigned his position within the Rehab Group.

It was unclear yesterday if Ms Kerins would also appear before the PAC, but PAC members have insisted her retirement does not mean she is off the hook.

In a statement last night, the committee said Ms Kerins — along with Mr Frank Flannery “are due to give evidence to the committee on a range of issues relating to the service level agreements between Rehab subsidiaries and State bodies, the remuneration of executives of Rehab and the use of funds received under the charitable lotteries compensation scheme.”

It said it had not received any correspondence from Rehab arising from Ms Flannery’s retirement.

Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, said she will accept “nothing less” than the full cooperation of Ms Kerins.