tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post4373589126318853438..comments2020-04-20T12:54:20.387-07:00Comments on Governance Reform At Irish Red Cross: "Serious administrative failures" and "serious deficiencies in accounting procedures" at Irish Red Cross but still no-one is held accountableUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-25450372632701759732011-03-30T16:20:47.928-07:002011-03-30T16:20:47.928-07:00I would endorse the comments of the post which ref...I would endorse the comments of the post which referred to the shortcomings of the International Federation of the Red Cross / Crescents: "Silence from the Head Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescents (IFRC) of which IRC is a member (underwritten by Government), is evidence of the wider problems of the International Movement".<br />Surely Mr Bekele the Secretary General of IFRC should feel some responsibility for protecting the reputation of the Movement as a whole which is so threatened by the IRC. Many times IFRC has intervened with National Red Cross / Crescent Societies of less developed countries to sort out Governance and general integrity issues and just because IRC is from a so called "developed country" there should be no reason why it should be treated differently.<br />It is high time that IFRC or ICRC made a statement to explain how IRC is permitted to retain membership when it is so evidently contravening the statutes and standing orders and of the Movement not to mention its total disregard for accountabiliy to donors and to those in suffering and poverty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-87883486512742138962011-01-09T08:30:21.932-08:002011-01-09T08:30:21.932-08:00It is worthy to note that the Executive Committee ...It is worthy to note that the Executive Committee and those who sat on the kangaroo court that was set up to find Noel Wardick guilty of “Gross misconduct” are I believe with this organisation for far too long. Let’s look at the grounds of dismissal or normal reasons to dismiss<br /><br />The normal guidelines for gross misconduct are:<br />• fighting <br />• theft from the employer or colleagues <br />• fraud or falsifying work documents <br />• accessing and/or distributing pornographic emails or websites <br />• deliberately damaging company property <br />• serious bullying or harassment <br />• bringing the employer into serious disrepute <br />• serious infringement of health and safety rules <br />• serious failure to follow reasonable instructions.<br /><br />Could one regard taking 600k out of Appeal funds as gross, could it be regarded creating rules to get rid of members gross, could threatening members with court action be regarded as gross. According to the Executive Committee what is gross is complaining that they the “Executive”, are offending the good name of the Red Cross and breaking the rules to suit their own ends. So on the grounds that are above, I would suggest that the members of the Executive Committee are guilty of “Gross Misconduct “ and once again I suggest they resign or eventually have your asses kicked out the door !<br />The bods at the top of the Red Cross appear to have a problem dealing with delusions of importance, what Noel Wardick did could not be described as “Gross” in fact what is gross, is the conduct of the Executive Committee. If my comments offend please take it that the offence caused by the Executive is much greater than any words I could come up with. The seriousness of Mr Wardicks allegations appear not to have been addressed against the Executive we have to ask why.Yer Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15188531683770127386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-43983091325412926732011-01-09T07:13:55.403-08:002011-01-09T07:13:55.403-08:00Noel and other casualties of the search for accoun...Noel and other casualties of the search for accountability and humanitarianism in Irish Red Cross are to be lauded. We are lucky that such people of principle are alive and ready to stand for truth - Thank you.<br />Of course the principal concern of this blog rightly is concerned with IRC. It should however be realised that the whole Red Cross / Crescent Movement is contaminated by the lack of communication and action by the departing Government, the IFRC and the IRC governance and management.<br />The longer this saga goes on, the deeper will be the wounds and damage to the Red Cross/ Crescent Movement. <br />Silence from the Head Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescents (IFRC) of which IRC is a member (underwritten by Government), is evidence of the wider problems of the International Movement.<br />The time must surely have arrived when the IRC is held to account for its membership obligations of; transparency, accountability and representation as a National Society. <br />Reliance on the IRC to responsibly bring its house to order have proved a flawed strategy and its time for international and Government action.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-2780353990609724582011-01-07T06:36:54.367-08:002011-01-07T06:36:54.367-08:00When the new Secretary General starts I hope his f...When the new Secretary General starts I hope his first job will be to correct the injustice inflicted on Noel Wardick. Even the Irish Red Cross's own internal report shows that what Wardick has said is correct. So he is fired and the people responsible for the wrongs still hold their positions. Not good!<br /><br />When Noel Wardick's case comes before the courts Irish Red Cross will be humilated in public and the media will have a field day. Everyone knows IRC has no defence and the damage that will be done by a public court case which will spill the beans on the rotten internal workings of the IRC will last for years. <br /><br />So new Secretary General, whoever you are, sort this out with Wardick as otherwise you will be dealing with this mess throughout your tenure in charge and you will be badly damaged by it yourself if you take up where your predecessor left off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-63685249237395914372011-01-07T06:11:14.706-08:002011-01-07T06:11:14.706-08:00The internal report into the mishandling of the Ti...The internal report into the mishandling of the Tipperary branch tsunami monies and other branch finances has identifed those responsible for breaking Irish Red Cross financial policies over many years. From what I have read one of these people appears to be the Vice Chairman of the Irish Red Cross. Has he been told to resign? Maybe he has so if so thats good. If he hasnt been told to go yet Im sure he will be kept hidden from public view as the damage his presence does to Irish Red Cross's reputation is incalcuable especially if he is allowed stay on. Ireland is no longer in the mood for people not being held to account. Irish Red Cross should be no exception.<br /><br />If I read the Blog and comments correctly Irish Red Cross will have a new Secretary General soon? That will be good given the crazy and terrible mismanagement that happened in 2010 after the previous Secretary General resigned at the end of 2009. <br /><br />I presume the consultant who was the Acting Secretary General for a while last year and was caught on national television by Prime Time hiding in his office when he said he was away on holidays is long gone? Maybe I am wrong on this but I am presuming the new Chairman is running the Irish Red Cross until the new Secretary General starts. Makes sense if thats the case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-8698497147042603152011-01-06T04:34:15.177-08:002011-01-06T04:34:15.177-08:00So Minister Tony Killeen has announced he intends ...So Minister Tony Killeen has announced he intends to resign in a couple of months. Well his record on Irish Red Cross will read: did nothing, achieved nothing.<br /><br />Has a date for the February 2011 Central Council meeting been set yet? Dont let the leaders cancel it like they did last year when they cancelled the February 2010 central council meeting just so they would not have to face irate members. They will try to cancel it again thats one thing for sure so dont let them get away with it this timeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-73736405829475178802011-01-06T04:01:39.077-08:002011-01-06T04:01:39.077-08:00Good question about the Irish Red Cross Financial ...Good question about the Irish Red Cross Financial Controller from the commentor above. Does the Irish Red Cross even have a finance controller? Wouldnt surprise me if they dont given the mess the place is in. If they have what is this person doing about these revelations in the internal report, the property portfolio and the allocation of overseas money to projects and expenses in Ireland? Is this person fighting against these practices or too afraid to speak out? Probably the latter knowing Irish Red Cross. Still if you are in a responsible position and you know something and dont speak out for fear of getting fired this is not an acceptable excuse. As Blogger says in article above we have to be held accountable for what we do and what we do not do. The Irish public have been hood winked out of hundreds of thousands of Euros and maybe millions. This is a huge scandal.<br /><br />What's the story with the new Secretary General btw? The post was advertised in September or October. When will the new person start and inject some hope into the Irish Red Cross? When will they guy Acting, the consultant, finish up?And when will that guy responsible for keeping the Tipperary Bank account a secret resign? Only then can things really change.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-28980107152770150712011-01-04T04:49:14.481-08:002011-01-04T04:49:14.481-08:00I have read all the comments posted on the previou...I have read all the comments posted on the previous article. If what they say is true about diverting €600,000 of publicly donated money for Haiti to cover up the Irish Red Cross domestic deficit those responsible need to be fired and the Board directors who sanction this practice made resign immediately. <br /><br />How many millions of Euros of public money donated for overseas disasters to the Irish Red Cross has been used like this? Are Irish Red Cross staff involved in this practise? Which ones? Who knew about this? Or is it the Board? Or both? Who is the Finance Controller in the Irish Red Cross? What are they doing about all these revelations? Staying silent it seems? Involved maybe? Or afraid of being fired if they speak out?<br /><br />Thank you Noel Wardick for this Blog and the great work you did in 2010 exposing this bunch for what they really are. Good luck for 2011 and as you say the next step has to be accountability and making those responsible pay.<br /><br />So Irish Red Cross spends over €100,000 on legal fees in 2010, €160,000 on its CEO, thousands on perks for two senior managers, tries to sue Google, hires consultants for everything and it pays for such things by diverting money intended for overseas disasters. Jesus Christ is there no end to this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8012489272112463047.post-73828286594439955192011-01-04T04:20:52.244-08:002011-01-04T04:20:52.244-08:00Its 2011 and the Irish Red Cross has not produced ...Its 2011 and the Irish Red Cross has not produced its 2009 Annual Report. What a joke!! And certain people are getting paid €160,000 a year and they cant even manage to get the organisation's Annual Report sorted. Does this alone not worry the Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen. Does he have any idea how Irish Red Cross spent the one million euro grant they get from the Government, not alone in 2010 but 2009 too. How can he when the 2009 Annual Report isnt completed yet. When will we see the 2010 report? In 2012 or 2013 or will we ever see one?<br /><br />I used to be a donor to the Irish Red Cross until the media and this blog enlightened me and until there is real change at the top I will not give another penny of my hard earned money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com