Independent TD Shane Ross has accused Fine Gael of making a “political appointment” to the Irish Greyhound Board at a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Members of senior management at the semi-State company responsible for regulating greyhound racing were before the committee to discuss a number of issues relating to the organisation’s financial statements.
Mr Ross asked the company’s chairman Phil Meaney a series of questions in relation to his appointment.
He noted Mr Meaney was a “prominent member of Fine Gael” and said he had “not undergone the normal vetting procedure” associated with board appointments.
‘Political appointment’
“It’s a political appointment and it’s unacceptable,” said Mr Ross. “It’s nothing personal, but I do think your appointment is one of many many in the system that lands people from Fine Gael and Labour in key positions. It often seems to me that that is a reward.”
Mr Ross suggested Mr Meaney had “delivered seats” for Fine Gael in the last election and had lobbied for his own appointment through a Fine Gael TD.
Mr Meaney rejected this and said he was “disappointed” the discourse had deviated from the company’s financial statements.
“I am disappointed,” he said. “We came in here today to talk about Bord na nGon, the accounts, and I think my political persuasion is of no significance. I don’t bring politics to the greyhound board.”
The hearing also heard the company has paid out six-figure sums in a number of out-of-court legal settlements.
State funding to the company has increased to €13.6 million and €14.8 million in 2015 and 2016 respectively, but it is running at a €1 million deficit.
One of the legal settlements involved a case in which the defendant was not the company itself, but one of its board members. Fianna Fáil spokesman on public expenditure asked: “Why would the taxpayer indemnify a board member?”
Mr Meaney said the board member in question had no director and officers insurance, and had been acting in his capacity as a board member when the matter arose. He could not provide details of the settlement due to a “confidentiality clause”.
Subject to scrutiny
However, he accepted the figure would have to be included in the company’s accounts and would be subject to scrutiny by the Comptroller and Auditor General, as well as the PAC.
Committee chairman John McGuinness said it was “a farce” that the company had entered a confidentiality agreement in the knowledge it would have to declare the transaction.
The committee also heard no service level agreement exists between the Department of Agriculture and the company in relation to funding. Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming said he was “disturbed” and “shocked” to learn this was the case.
In terms of reducing the company’s deficit, chief executive Geraldine Larkin said they had reduced the number of race events by 89 to date, but had used digital marketing strategies to maintain the company’s commerciality.
