FAITH, HOPE, AND CLARITY - The Rehab Saga

Former chief executive of Rehab Frank Flannery is big on his rights. Responsibility, in the wake of the Rehab saga’s latest turn, is a matter for others, writes Michael Clifford

FRANK FLANNERY just doesn’t get it. The former chief executive, and latterly recipient of lucrative contracts with the Rehab Group, sees himself as a victim. He told Sean O’Rourke last Friday that “the damage done to that organisation is the greatest agony of my life at the moment”. Yet he can’t see that he bears at least some responsibility for that reputational damage. It was all done by “an illegal enterprise”, consisting of parliamentarians given a mandate by the people. Frank has been vindicated. His rights were, he believes, trampled on, yet not once has he referenced his responsibilities.

The Rehab saga took a turn last week when the Oireachtas Committee for Procedures and Privileges informed the Public Accounts Committee that it was not entitled to compel Flannery, or former Rehab CEO Angela Kerins, to appear before it.