Ex-CRC boss’s payoff was same as 2013 losses

Ex-Central Remedial Clinic boss Paul Kiely has again been urged to give back his controversial €740,000 severance package pay-out, after the charity suffered a loss of almost exactly the same amount last year.

The plea has been made by Independent TD Shane Ross after an updated report from the now re-formed charity — which was at the centre of a highly damaging crisis over how donated money was being used — revealed that the CRC was in the red by €741,025 in 2013.

Documents provided to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee by new CRC chairman, Kieran Timmins, show the vital disability charity suffered a loss of €741,025 in its accounts last year.

The drop, which Mr Timmins said was “a significant deficit for the charity”, is just €1,025 more than the €740,000 severance package given to Mr Kiely last Christmas.

The figure is linked to a €700,000 transfer of funds from the Friends and Supporters wing, which is entirely funded through public donations to the body.

On his departure, Mr Kiely was on a salary of €240,000, almost half of which was topped-up via donations that were meant to be solely for frontline services.

He was one of a number of other senior CRC officials whose pensions, salaries and severance packages were being paid for or topped-up by charitable donations.

After being hit by a series of controversies the CRC underwent a root-and-branch reform.

In May, a new board and chairman were appointed after an independent process.

They are voluntary workers.