Minister approves appointments

Three new members of the Irish Red Cross Society’s governing body were approved by the Government yesterday in an effort to restore public confidence. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter’s nominees to the general assembly were former Fine Gael junior minister Mary Flaherty, former Australian ambassador Máirtín O’Fainín, Clonmel mayor and Labour councillor Darren Ryan and the reappointed Department of Defence principal officer Cathal Duffy.

The nominations represented “a further important step taken by this Government to restoring the full confidence of the public” in the society, Mr Shatter said. The appointments would “copper-fasten the strong impetus for change that now exists within the society itself”, he said. The steps were the “most fundamental” in its history and provided for 21st century corporate governance, Mr Shatter added.

The nominations follow approval last month of a Government order effecting a new governance structure and under which it can nominate up to 10 per cent of the assembly.