Former FG minister takes over at Red Cross as secretary-general resigns

The former Fine Gael minister for finance, Mr Richie Ryan, has taken over the running of the Irish Red Cross Society following the departure of its secretary-general, Mr Martin Good.

Mr Good's resignation two weeks ago followed a series of internal disagreements and industrial relations problems within the organisation. It is believed he left after a substantial severance settlement was agreed with the society.

Mr Ryan was reappointed last May as the fourth chairman of the Red Cross in seven years, shortly before the rainbow coalition government left office.

A number of other senior staff, including the public relations officer, youth officer and fund-raising manager, have left the society recently.

Tension rose in recent months between Mr Good and members of the 12-member executive committee, which takes an active interest in the running of the society.

Mr Good was not chosen to represent the organisation at a major conference organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Seville last November, although three members of the executive committee attended.

Mr Good was appointed secretary-general in September 1991 for three years, and his contract was later made permanent. Speaking from Geneva last night, he confirmed he had resigned on February 5th. He declined to comment further.

Industrial relations difficulties flared up last autumn after management proposed a restructuring plan. After one member of staff was appointed to a newly created senior post colleagues complained to their union, SIPTU, that no interviews were conducted.

SIPTU took the matter to the Labour Court, which appointed an intermediary to mediate between the two sides. According to Mr Mike Jennings of SIPTU, the industrial relations problems have been ongoing for some time.

The charity incurred legal costs of more than £100,000 in an unsuccessful attempt to confirm its expulsion of one central council member, Mr Jim Walsh, for talking to The Irish Times in 1993. The Supreme Court ruled that the Red Cross did not have the power to expel Mr Walsh retrospectively. He had been a member for 35 years. Mr Ryan said yesterday the society had agreed not to comment on Mr Good's departure.

The Red Cross received £535,000 in Government g rants last year, of which £100,000 went to pay the annual subscription to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. Salaries amounted to £370,000. The overall turnover was £1.9 million last year.

According to sources, the ICRC is "displeased" at the number of party political nominees involved in the Irish organisation.

Mr Ryan said he had "heard this view expressed" in Geneva. However, he pointed out that the number of political nominees on the central council had fallen from 22 to 16, out of 40 members.

The Irish Red Cross Society was set up by an Act of the Oireachtas in 1939. The President of Ireland is by law its president.

Aside from Government funds, it raises money through general subscriptions and special appeals. In recent years, however, appeals have met a varied response. An appeal for the volcano victims in Monserrat raised only £160 last year, but tens of thousands of pounds were raised for the victims of land-mines.