Watchdog may compel Peter McVerry Trust to come before it amid growing anger over finances

Irish Times

5 hours ago

The Dáil's most powerful public spending watchdog will consider compelling the
Peter McVerry Trust
(PMVT) to appear before it to answer questions about its
€15 million State bailout
.
Sinn Féin
TD John Brady, who is chair of the
Public Accounts Committee
(PAC), expressed 'dissatisfaction and anger' towards the housing charity which has now twice refused to appear before the committee.
Mr Brady said the PAC would now consider 'what options are open to us at this point', which could include compelling the trust to appear.
At a meeting in public session on Thursday morning, a number of cross-party TDs expressed anger at the PMT for refusing to answer questions about its financial troubles. It came after serious governance failings by the trust came to light in investigations by two State regulators.
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The trust has so far failed to file its company accounts for 2023.
In early 2024, it told the PAC it could not appear before it due to ongoing investigations.
In a letter to the PAC this week,
the trust again refused to make itself available
for public questioning, claiming it was not in a position to attend 'at this time'.
'There's a real level of dissatisfaction and anger here by members, and I include myself in that,' Mr Brady said.
He added that he was also aware of attempts over the last year by the Oireachtas housing committee to invite PMVT to appear before it. Mr Brady said the trust had received 'huge' sums of public funding and 'there needs to be accountability'.
'I propose that we write immediately to PMVT imploring them to come in at the earliest opportunity,' Mr Brady said.
He said PAC will be seeking guidance from the Oireachtas standing orders committee to see what options it had to expand its remit and bring PMVT before it.
'It is deeply unsatisfactory and disheartening, as members said, when an organisation such as PMVT does not actually take cognisance of the last word in that – trust,' he said.
'Public trust is foremost here and people cannot have trust in how public money is being spent and the governance around that. I think that is deeply concerning.'
PMVT said in a statement: 'At this time, PMVT is not in a position to take part in the committee's meeting. We are currently awaiting the completion of our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31st, 2023.
'Once these audited accounts are available, they will be published and we will share relevant information with our stakeholders and the public as appropriate, including making representatives available for the appropriate Oireachtas committee in due course.'