Allegations involving Rehab
Senator Leyden cites reports that a dissolved company billed Rehab substantial sums and demands that the Health Minister explain the controversy. The exchange becomes politically contentious, while other Senators press for charity regulation and accountability.
I compliment The Irish Times and two of its writers, Colm Keena and Arthur Beesley, on an exposé today on the goings-on at Rehab. It relates to the activities of a director who has a dissolved company but billed Rehab for €66,000 in 2012 and €11,000 in 2011. As the Taoiseach said, he is lifting stones and the maggots are coming out. They are not Fianna Fáil maggots, but they are Fine Gael maggots in a big way.
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Laragh Consulting Limited was dissolved in 2009, yet it could bill Rehab in 2011 and 2012. It is an extraordinary event for anyone in the country that a dissolved company could bill a national organisation for such money. I know that there are dirty tricks operating within Fine Gael and that some media are rather compliant when it comes to the activities of the dark forces behind the Government. These are ensuring that all the spin is coming out at certain times to deflect from the debacles at Irish Water, at the HSE and at other ministries.
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I suggest the need for mature recollection by the Senator's party.
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-----a former director of elections for Fine Gael, who goes back to the days of Garret the good, is now deciding-----
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Who shot JFK? These are conspiracy theories.
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It is now decided that he is to be sacrificed because of expediency on the part of the Government.
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I call on the Minister for Health to come before the House to explain what he is doing. He is the Minister in charge of sections 38 and 39 of the relevant legislation. He should know what is going on. If he does not know what is going on, then he should not be Minister. Mr. Flannery said that having destroyed their business, the Minister was now making accusations against them and that it was like breaking a man's leg and then attacking him for not walking. It is a matter of a house divided and there is more to come. As I stated yesterday morning, it will be shattering when it is all over. The attack on the Central Remedial Clinic was carded to be somehow linked to some previous Government.
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This, even though the decision to pay Mr. Kiely was made by the Minister for Health because he knew what was going on. We should be careful about what is going to happen. The Government may have been upset when it discovered that a former director of elections for Fine Gael is now in the middle of a major controversy.
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They will be unearthed and exposed for what they are.
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I wish to devote my time to my contribution rather than rebukes to comments made by the previous speaker. I, too, call on the Leader to seek further reassurances from the Minister for Justice and Equality that the appointment of the charity regulator will be in place before Easter, as announced last week. I fully agree with Senator Martin Conway that money raised for charities in the name of charities should be totally given to charities. It should be likewise with services where the money is given for that charity or service. The money should go exactly to the people who need it most. We are looking at cutbacks, cuts in services and long waiting lists, yet the top executives are getting the money. It is an issue I have raised continuously in the past two years. I remarked on Tuesday that this is opening another can of worms. In the past two years I have highlighted continuously the reluctance I have found having made inquiries and sought information from services. We need full transparency. This is our opportunity to get the matter in order and to have open and transparent accounts of what is taking place.
I extend my sincere sympathy yet again to Caroline Donohoe and her children, Amy and Niall, as we approach the first anniversary of the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was brutally murdered on 25 January last year.
I understand that tomorrow evening, 24 January, a memorial service, a candlelight vigil and moment of silence will take place outside Lordship credit union where the brutal murder took place. I commend the Garda in the area and throughout the country for its dignity and diligence in the pursuit of justice following the brutal murder of Detective Garda Detective Adrian Donohoe. I am aware from speaking to members of the Garda and friends of Adrian Donohoe throughout the year that the dignity and courage they have shown has been outstanding. I too urge that all resources that can be made available should be made available to apprehend the culprits for this heinous crime as soon as possible. This murder rocked the country to the core. I will never forget the air of stillness at his funeral last year among every member of the Garda and Dundalk community far and wide. I was reminded this morning while listening to a radio interview by the chairperson of St. Pat's of the community spirit felt in the clubrooms at the time. The Garda has been relentless throughout the year in exploring every avenue and has given up all its spare time and overtime. It is welcome that progress has been made, although it is slow. I understand that when the people concerned are apprehended, they will be punished as the case is watertight. However, more information is needed for the perpetrators to be brought forward. There are people who know what happened but who have not come forward.
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I urge them to come forward as it is still not too late.