Spokesperson for Sinn Fein on Mental Health Mark Ward TD has said that Senator Regina Doherty has questions to answer after she became a board member of Pieta House. Teachta Ward raised this with the Tanaiste today in the Dail and the Tanaiste admitted he was not aware that the Senator was a board member. Teachta Ward said: “Pieta House was awarded millions in funding this year after it found itself in financial difficulties with the threat of redundancies hanging over the staff. “The previous health minister Simon Harris is on the record in the Dail stating to me that Pieta were receiving over €1100 for each individual therapy session. “It was brought to my attention by concerned members of the public that the Fine Gael leader of the Seanad Senator Regina Doherty is now a board member of Pieta House
“Today during questions on promised legislation, I asked the Tanaiste Leo Varadkar was he aware that the Senator was a member of the board, he replied that he was not aware. “Does the Fine Gael leader of the Seanad not need to communicate decisions with the Fine Gael leader of the Dail? “The Tanaiste responded to me that he does not believe that there is a conflict of interest for Senator Doherty despite being on a board of a national organisation that receives vast amounts of public funding. “Senator Doherty is also a former member of Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform and according to Pietas website which states this, “will have provided her with insights that will be valuable assets to the Pieta Board”. “I also asked the Tanaiste was this a paid position? and I did not receive an answer.
