The former chief executive of the Central Remedial Clinic Paul Kiely received a lump sum of €200,000 from charitable donations when he retired earlier this year, it emerged today.
Mr Kiely also received a salary of more than €240,000, which similarly was topped-up with charitable donations.
At the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee today, the chair of the CRC's board confirmed the lump sum was drawn from funds collected by a charitable company linked to the disability organisation.
In response to a question from Deputy John Deasy about whether he was aware of the source of his lump sum payment, Mr Kiely responded: “I don’t want to say it’s complicated, but it is. It’s complicated. And the whole thing doesn’t play out for three years. ”
Mr Deasy also asked the former chief executive if he had qualms over the fact that the lump sum was from charitable funds.
“Have I qualms? I have qualms about everything to do with this. Absolutely everything.”
When asked if would consider repaying some of these funds back to the CRC, Mr Kiely said he would consider doing do.
The former chief executive also confirmed to the committee that his pension - which is a private pension fund organised by the CRC - has been part-funded from charitable donations made to the clinic.
The fund, which includes 70 other staff at the organisation who are not entitled to public sector pensions, was boosted by a €3 million loan from a charitable company linked to the organisation.
This company, the Friends and Supporters of the Central Remedial Clinic, has charitable status.
Mr Kiely was a secretary of this company and Mr Nugent was listed as a director.
Neither Mr Kiely’s pension - which amounts to about €90,000 per annum - nor those of other beneficiaries has been subject to the public sector pension levy as it is a private fund.
James Nugent, the chair of the CRC board, defended the use of charitable funds to top-up this private pension fund on the basis that there was a shortfall which needed to be addressed.
He said the money will be repaid to the Friends and Supporters.
A range of deputies at today's meeting called on the board of the CRC to resign in light of disclosures over pay at the organisations.
Mr Nugent said he would discuss these calls with other board members in the near future.
