The Government are doing major damage to the Irish Red Cross Society by their failure to propose for nomination, by the President of Ireland, a new chairman for the society. Almost two months ago, on 17 April, a motion of no confidence was passed on the former chairman by the executive committee of the Red Cross Society. He did not, as would have been expected in certain circumstances, resign at the time. However, his term of office expired on 30 April.
Despite this background the Government have failed to propose a new chairman for nomination by the President. It is important to note that the President of Ireland isex officio President of the Irish Red Cross Society. This is an indication of the importance of the organisation, and provision for this situation was made in the Red Cross Act, 1944. The chairman is nominated by the President of the society but, of course, this is done on the advice of the Government. In a case such as this, where a motion of no confidence was passed on the former chairman, surely it is all the more important that a replacement would be made without delay. Indeed the indecisiveness of the Government on such a clear-cut issue must call into question their ability to govern at all.
The situation of the Red Cross is even more critical because the last straw so far as the executive committee was concerned, in passing the motion of no confidence, was the departure of the former secretary of the Department of Defence, who was acting secretary — on a non-fee basis. The crisis thereby created was in the management of the society. His departure was solely as a result of the activities of the former chairman.
The result of the delay on the part of the Government is that the society at present has no chairman, vice chairman, treasurer or secretary general. Their executive committee cannot be reformulated until the Government propose a chairman and appoint the Government nominees to the general council.
The background is clear. On 17 April 1991 when the executive committee met to discuss the sudden departure of the acting secretary and the crisis thereby created, a motion of no confidence in the chairman, Mr. Derry O'Donovan was proposed, seconded and adopted by a majority of 9 to 1. The vote of no confidence was adopted on the grounds that (a) the chairman had tried to usurp the statutory management functions of the executive; (b) he had frustrated valid decisions of the executive; (c) he had regularly demonstrated aggressive and threatening behaviour which, in the opinion of the executive, was totally unbecoming a chairman of the society; and (d) his attitude and management style was not conducive to the effective functioning of a voluntary organisation and were not compatible with the ethos of the Red Cross.
Following the passage of the motion of no confidence, it was agreed that a letter be sent to the Minister for Defence outlining the decision of the executive committee's apprehension that Mr. O'Donovan would be reappointed for a further term. It should also be noted that the executive committee expressed their sincere appreciation of the work carried out by Mr. Scully, the acting secretary, and their anxiety that he should return to the office.
Because of the rearguard action being fought by and on behalf of Mr. O'Donovan to be reappointed, it is necessary to refer to the motion of no confidence and indeed other aspects of his brief chairmanship. It goes without saying that he is an active member of Fianna Fáil but that in itself is not a problem. As far as I am concerned everybody is entitled to their own political outlook, but I do say that in chairing such an important organisation, it is, to say the least, unwise for the chairman to flaunt his politics.
Among the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross are impartiality and independence. They make no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious belief, class or political opinions. The movement may not take sides or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature. These principles provide that the national societies must always maintain their autonomy so that they may at all times act in accordance with the principles of the movement. It was very clear that Mr. Derry O'Donovan from the very beginning went out of his way to literally flaunt his Fianna Fáil connections.
