Watchdog unaware of Console fears until Prime Time programme aired

The charities regulator was not aware of any concerns around the operation of the suicide bereavement charity Console until they were aired last week.

John Farrelly said apart from a “one liner from a particular person who had concerns”, they had otherwise been in the dark until the Prime Time programme.

Last night, the HSE said concerns about Console were raised relating to corporate governance in 2009 and “certain control actions were put in place at the time including a limit placed on the organisation’s funding”.