At the Public Accounts Committee (PAC ) last Friday, July 15, Fine Gael TD for Longford Westmeath, Peter Burke, has asked why it is that Console is still listed on the Revenue website as a charity.
The Public Accounts Committee is meeting to discuss Console and is hearing from Tony O’Brien, director general of the HSE.
“When I questioned Mr O’Brien today he revealed that Console is still listed on the Revenue website as a charity,” Deputy Burke said. “It has a full tax clearance cert with the HSE and its company registration is intact.
“As an accountant for 10 years, I am absolutely and utterly shocked by this and I urged the director general to contact Revenue with haste on this, as Console should not be listed as a charity which is still in business. It is clearly evident from today’s proceedings at PAC that HSE internal audits are taking way too long and the HSE is reacting far too slowly and consistently chasing its tail, with the taxpayer taking the hit.
“If there was no co-operation from Console for long periods, then why didn’t the HSE take immediate action to look after taxpayers’ money? Instead, they let the situation continue and while they were checking the facts, taxpayers’ money was being misspent. I’m alarmed that for organisations receiving €500,000 or less, from the HSE it only meets formally with the group once in relation to performance review. This is all totally unacceptable.”
