McVerry Trust sparks fury with refusal to appear at Dáil committee

THE refusal of the Peter McVerry Trust to attend the Dáil to answer questions – despite receiving a €16m bailout from the State – has sparked fury in Leinster House.

Last month, the Dáil’s Housing Committee invited the homelessness charity to a meeting on January 16 to discuss how it plans to operate.

Emergency funding was handed over by the State subject to 32 conditions stipulated by the Department of Housing. On December 1 last, the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) board of directors confirmed its agreement.

‘Charity run by a priest is not above the law’

But Green Party TD Steven Matthews, Housing Committee chair, has confirmed to the Irish Mail on Sunday that the PMVT has refused to attend the committee meeting.

Its refusal is reportedly on the basis of a progress report being submitted to the Department of Housing towards the end of January. The PMVT said its representatives will be limited in what they can say as the organisation is subject to two ongoing statutory inspections.

One committee member said: ‘This is the same three-card trick we have seen in so many other cases. We are being investigated so... we can’t tell you anything about why we are being investigated.’

The Charities Regulator has also appointed inspectors after its chief executive, Helen Martin, determined that an investigation into concerns over PMVT’s finances and governance was warranted.

The Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA), which regulates non-profit housing organisation, is also conducting a statutory investigation into financial matters at PMVT, including concerns about potential mismanagement of donor funds and the transfer of restricted funds from the charity to a private business.

PMVT is one the largest providers of homelessness services in the State, with an income last year of around €60m, most of which comes from State funding.

The senior Housing Committee member added: ‘We would expect a body run by some one as respected as Peter McVerry to operate to a far higher standard of openness and transparency.

‘Just because some organisation is a charity or run by a priest does not mean it is above the law. Millions of euros of taxpayers’ money is involved here. If RTÉ can be hauled in to explain some difficulties over flip-flops, the Fr McVerry trust should expect similar treatment.’

Dublin City Councillor Mannix Flynn said: ‘The refusal is an absolute insult and a contempt to the vulnerable people. The empires of charity believe they do not have to follow the rules. This silence of Mr McVerry on an issue that should be already referred to the fraud squad and the gardaí is utterly concerning.’

When PMVT chief executive Francis Doherty resigned in October, he said the board had made his position ‘untenable’.

Senator Victor Boyhan said: ‘As a member of the Oireachtas Housing Committee, I would be very keen to hear from Mr Doherty precisely the issues involved. Silence is not a sufficient answer.’

Mr Matthews told the MoS: ‘I consulted members of the committee and expressed the view the meeting should proceed. Members were in agreement and the McVerry Trust has been informed we expect their attendance on January 16.’

Mr Boyhan added: ‘The focus now needs to be on the service users of the McVerry Trust.’

‘Silence is not a sufficient answer’