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Extra powers sought as ex-CRC chief 'puts two fingers up to the PAC'

Brian Conlan has said he will not appear at a PAC hearing tomorrow morning as the other directors and officers know everything he does.

INDEPENDENT DEPUTY SHANE Ross has said he will seek extra powers for the Public Accounts Committee to compel the outgoing chief executive Brian Conlan of the Central Remedial Clinic to appear at an Oireachtas hearing.

Speaking on Prime Time last night, the Dublin TD explained the PAC can seek the powers under new legislation if the former CEO does not appear tomorrow with other CRC executives.

“We can go to the procedural committee, the procedural committee privileges the Dáil,” said Ross. “I imagine we’ll get them judging by the very helpful words of the Taoiseach…when he said that he expected Mr Conlan to come in.

If Mr Conlan wants to put two fingers up the public accounts committee and say he’s not going to give any information then we will seek those powers. I’ve no doubt I’ll be asking my colleagues to do that.

Conlan and the Central Remedial Clinic have been at the centre of the recent ‘top-up’ scandal after it emerged that senior staff were paid extra monies from funds raised by a registered charity.

Although Conlan’s salary was in line with HSE guidelines, his predecessor Paul Kiely had received a top-up of €135,000 on a basic salary of €116,000.

Ross said he was shocked that there was a reluctance for people to come before the PAC, adding that their absence forces the committee to look for powers to compel them to attend.

“Mr Kiely is the biggest beneficiary of this top-up which was money which could have gone to children, which went to him,” he said. “He must answer what he was doing and why he was getting this money? And who, afterall, authorised it?”

Ross also noted that the precedent in this case was set by Rody Molloy who appeared before the PAC three or four days after resigning from FÁS following the spending scandal.

“I think his reluctance to come in tells a story in itself and he’s in a rather unique position because there are massive question marks in this issue about the process by which he got the job and we know the HSE issued two warning signals, what it notices to the directors of the CRC saying they were behaving extraordinarily, the phrase they use is highly irregularly.

“We want to know what happened here. This is, again it’s public money paying this man and for him to say everybody else knows it so I’m not coming in, looks like a guy who is ducking the PAC.”

Watch: the full show on RTÉ Player>

Read: Outgoing CRC chief will not attend Oireachtas hearing on top-ups scandal

Related: CRC chief quits in the midst of charity top-up scandal

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41 Comments
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    Mute Sean Padraig O Brien
    Favourite Sean Padraig O Brien
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    Mar 26th 2023, 2:24 PM

    Who is behind sending these boats?

    Where do they get the boats even.

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    Mute GreenFlag
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    Mar 26th 2023, 4:05 PM

    Hey Journal what happened to my comment?
    I didn’t say anything offensive
    Is it because it had the highest number of likes and you want to pretend that the majority don’t agree with the view points being made.

    That’s pathetic

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    Mute Jen Mc
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    Mar 26th 2023, 4:36 PM

    @GreenFlag: probably because it was misinformation.

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    Mute GreenFlag
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    Mar 26th 2023, 2:56 PM

    @rhino burns: No matter what you think of Mr Burke. He is standing up for what he believes is right which is a hell of alot more then most people. The man is willing to sacrifice his freedom, wealth and I presume his health. There is something profoundly honourable about that.
    I agree with the man good luck trying to get me to comply with compelled speech. I’m 100% sure I would do the same.

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    Mute rhino burns
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    Mar 26th 2023, 2:50 PM

    @TheQueenofHibernia: ah ye lost me after ye mentioned the Burke family …

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    Mute Jen Mc
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    Mar 26th 2023, 3:17 PM

    @GreenFlag: what are you talking about? Boats are constantly intercepted by the Lybian coastguard. The EU funnels tens of millions into this each year. Your information is completely wrong.

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