Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Irish Red Cross Head of International Department sacked

Yesterday I was informed by the Irish Red Cross that I am to be dismissed from my job with immediate effect.

My determination to see significant change and reform at the Irish Red Cross remains undiminished. I will continue to pursue this with vigour, resolve and fortitude.

The 6,000 volunteers of the Irish Red Cross, the staff at home and abroad and most of all the communities and people we seek to serve deserve better and better they must have. To achieve this everyone will need to play their part, whether big or small. The status quo must not and cannot remain.

My dismissal was raised on the floor of Dail Eireann yesterday (9th November 2010) by Deputy Brendan Howlin of the Labour Party during a debate on whistle blowing legislation. The debate was covered on RTE national television on Oireachtas Report on the 9th November 2010. Deputy Howlin’s comments on the Irish Red Cross can be seen on the RTE link below. The discussion occurs between 20 minutes and 24 minutes.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1084477

The Irish Red Cross is at a critical crossroads. The choice is between the past or an open, transparent, accountable, modern, vibrant, energetic and truly democratic organisation. I am confident the vast majority of us wish for the latter. And that provides my motivation to continue.

Noel Wardick

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:29 AM

    Keep reading boards.ie as well as this blog for very good comments. The boards link is:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056016355&highlight=Irish+Cross

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  2. Anonymous8:38 AM

    I did not draft the comment below. It was posted a few days ago under a previous article. I think it is soooo IMPORTANT I decided to cut and paste it in again. I hope the owner doesnt mind. The author of the comment said Wardick would be fired within days. They were right, he has been fired, today. Someone somewhere needs to say to these clowns ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The comment from a few days ago is:

    Here is some interesting questions:

    In 1999 the Finance Manager in the Irish Red Cross, Louis White was sacked. This was because he was standing up to the so called inner sanctum and he was asking them very hard questions and refusing to do things 'the way they wanted' shall we say. Ask anyone on the staff at the time and they will confirm Louis was 100% honest and good. These are not qualities liked by the inner sanctum. Why after Louis was fired did the inner sanctum fire Coopers and Lybrand as the auditors? Is it because, like Louis, they knew too much?

    Why after Louis was fired did the Treasurer write off £10,000 owed by the Tipperary Branch (the one which Tony Lawlor runs) on the ambulance account? As a reward for firing Louis possibly? This meant the Irish Red Cross did not and never did receive this £10,000.

    Someone needs to investigate the Irish Red Cross deeply. Louis White was fired for exposing these guys. Noel Wardick has been suspended for exposing these guys. Everyone knows he will be fired any day now. Why are the inner sanctum so scared and afraid of people like White and Wardick and many others who have stood up to them over the years. Lots and lots to hide is why.

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  3. Anonymous2:34 AM

    The Irish Red Cross Society should be disbanded by the ICRC or Geneva or whoever has the power to do so. They should send in representatives from their own society to start up an entire new IRCS, with the 7 principles in mind, but first and foremost the past 20-30 years' secrets of the IRCS in mind.

    Then once it is running again they should begin interviewing for each and every post available, both voluntary and paid (the Executive and Central Councils without exception).

    It has gone beyond the beyonds now.

    Minister Tony Kileen's new Secretary General has kept very quiet; while this is not a problem in itself, well, Noel has just been fired and nobody knows (publicly at least) why the SG did not stop this, or try to stop it; or did he even endorse this action.

    I am so deeply ashamed to be a voluntary member of the IRC, and yet I will not leave because I believe in the Red Cross Society and what it ought to stand for.

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  4. Anonymous1:10 PM

    There is an interesting exchange on the Irish Red Cross facebook page regarding the dismissal of Noel Wardick.

    http://www.facebook.com/IrishRedCross

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  5. Anonymous2:16 PM

    The great thing about this Blog is that it has given the opportunity for all of us who have screamed at walls for years, about this institutions abuse of trust and how it actively engaged in practices which are not necessarily illegal but the morality of the actions is without doubt up there with the worst of them.

    Is it an Irish thing or is it a global consequence of being a volunteer in any organisation. The plan for years in the Irish Red Cross is based around political control and nepotism. We have had some taste of how particular political parties have granted favour to particular individuals in this country, the members of the Executive are well within the grasp of those same political dynasty’s. They won’t stray too far and the Government will insure that all the correct people are engaged to insure that any risk of these same individuals being called to account is minimised. Mr Kileen has pathetically come up with some great lines to express how he should not throw the dummy out of his pram. Lots of rhetoric based upon his false illusion that he has no responsibility and that all those people whom he personally appoints onto the board of the Red Cross have nothing whatsoever to do with him. Obviously like all politicians he has the parrots on his shoulder saying “deny, deny”. Well, Minister loose the parrots and smell the real world. Get a grip of yourself and stop the piss taking.

    Guess what Minister no one believes you! Sorry the lads in Merrion Square believe you because they wrote the lines! The Irish Red Cross is not unique in controversy over misuse of funds the American Red Cross came under severe scrutiny over its use or failure to use funds given for the 911 victims, maybe they came to Ireland to see how you can run an appeal and still make a profit program!

    I think we need that guy Michael Moore that wrote “SICKO” to come here and make a program on the Irish Red Cross !

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  6. Anonymous8:41 AM

    What dispicable people they are in Irish Red Cross to sack you Noel. They disgust me. They should be ashamed of themselves but I know they are not. You are a brave, intelligent, honest and determined man and the people who fired you are very afraid of you. They have none of the characteristics you have and they hate you for that. They really really fear you. They are scared weak unmanly people. They have disgraced the Irish Red Cross in Ireland and abroad. Well done Noel. Wear your dismissal with pride!

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  7. Anonymous8:49 AM

    So was it the Central Committee who sacked Noel? Or is it the Central Committee who ordered the Executive Committee to sack Noel? Or was it the Central committee who ordered the Executive to order the SG to sack Noel? Or was it the SG who acted on his own behalf?

    There are rules in this organisation that were established to deal with situations like this. Also the IRC has a membership who has the powers to question the actions of any authority in the IRC. Where are the members in this, why are they not standing up to this, bejesus even the normal citizens of Ireland have a right to stand up and say something...Is it Noel by himself who has to sort this out? Join him in the charge , get behing the man! Help him out...........some one has to be made accountable for the goings on of the IRC....

    Read the RULES

    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1939/en/si/0206.html

    (2) The Central Council shall, subject to the provisions of this Order and the rules of the Society, exercise the powers of the Society, organise the Society, and control and manage the affairs of the Society.

    (2) An extraordinary general meeting of the Central Council may be called at any time by the President of the Society or by the Chairman of the Central Council.

    (5) The Central Council may empower the Executive Committee to do any act which the Central Committee itself could lawfully do.


    14. The accounts of the Society which shall be audited by a duly qualified auditor appointed by the Central Council, shall be made up half-yearly and shall be submitted to the ordinary general meeting of the Central Council held next after such audit.

    15.—(1) The Central Council may make rules, not inconsistent with this Order, in relation to all or any of the following matters, that is to say :—
    (a) the organisation of the Society ;
    (b) the management, control, and procedure of the Society ;
    (c) the grades and conditions of membership of the Society ;
    (d) the admission of persons to membership of the Society ;
    (e) the election of members of the Central Council ;
    (f) the holding of meetings of the Executive Committee ;
    (g) the division of the State into areas for the purposes of the Society, and the committees for such areas ;
    (h) the appointment and terms of office of officers of the Society ;
    (i) the holding of annual meetings of the Society ;
    (j) any other matter which in the opinion of the Central Council, it is expedient to provide for in order to enable the Society effectively to carry out its objects and exercise all or any of its powers.

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  8. Anonymous10:27 AM

    To the person who quoted the rules as a life long member I have found that the rules of the Red Cross are in a little Blue Book, which not a single member ever gets a copy of, that is unless they are given one which is highly unlikely. Secondl;y during the years the Executive Committee have made up rules to suit the moment ie as in getting rid of Jim Walsh. They are a make it up as we go along and to hell with the members bunch.

    Lets just take the Vice Chairman Anthony Lawlor whom I have zero respect for. He was involved in the dipatch of Louis White and others maybe it was because Louis was not playing ball and doing the books the way the Executive wanted them to look , wonder where the fax went that Tony sent in to head office from his work fax machine, is he allowed to do that? What did it say on the fax well that one will come clear if there ever is a real investigation...!

    The arrogance of the Executive Committee insures they have no repect for us as members or the Red Cross as a Humanitarian organisation. If anyone is interest in signing a petition please send Della Digby an email at delladigby@hotmail.com she is organising a complaint to someone who will listen. Keep your chin up Noel the smallest drop of water can wear down the hardest of stones. Wonder how many jelly fish will turn up next Saturday.

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  9. Anonymous5:53 AM

    Sir, a life long member and even a new member has the right to ask the questions. The organisation is built from it members. Its its the members and volunteers the organisation relies on to deliver its services, because of this, its members and volunteers that have the right to know what is going on in the organisation and have the power to make change. The committees and management are meant to be acting in the best interests of the organisation and its members. If they say that they are acting in the interests of the organisation they have to prove that this is the case. They cant work in isolation. The RC movement is an organisation based on humanitarian values. The money received in the organisation is public money, this gives the public the right to have a say, Back him up, get behind him and have a voice!

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