Console fallout: Paul Kelly in threat to sue if details released

Disgraced former chief executive of suicide prevention charity Console Paul Kelly threatened to sue the HSE if any details about the financial scandal emerged just 24 hours before RTÉ’s high-profile exposé on the organisation.

HSE director general Tony O’Brien confirmed Mr Kelly wrote to his officials on June 22 in a last-ditch bid to prevent the crisis from being made public.

Speaking at a special six-hour meeting of the Dáil’s cross-party public accounts committee, Mr O’Brien said less than a day before RTÉ’s exposé on the group the HSE “received legal letters” from Mr Kelly ordering it not to release any information.