The Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr McDaid, has sharply criticised the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) and its president, Pat Hickey, over the council's failure to give him a cash flow statement of its accounts, despite repeated requests. He has also been asked by the Fine Gael spokesman on sport, Bernard Allen, to conduct an inquiry into "a most unsatisfactory situation" regarding $100,000 of funds raised by an American group set up to help Ireland's efforts for last year's Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The Minister told the Dail yesterday he was "absolutely shocked" at statements by Hickey threatening job lay-offs because of the council's cash flow crisis, when it had failed to give him its accounts so that he could authorise grants.

"If the council is not prepared to give me a statement of their current cash flow, then I have to wonder why," he said.

Dr McDaid added that he was still awaiting a response to a request for a meeting between his officials and those of the OCI, which had been provisionally scheduled for the end of August, more than three months ago.

It is not the first time that the outspoken OCI president has found himself involved in controversy, but never before has a Minister been so directly critical. Shortly before the Atlanta Games, the Irish chef de mission, David Balbirnie, was forced to resign. His assistant, Brendan O'Connell, then walked out in sympathy over what he considered to be the mistreatment of Balbirnie. Both Balbirnie and O'Connell were highly critical of the way Hickey was running the organisation.

The president was again at the centre of controversy when he became embroiled in the dispute between BLE, the parent body of Irish athletics, and the OCI over which brand of running gear Irish athletes, and in particular Sonia O'Sullivan, should wear during competition at the games.

Hickey, however, went on to win a landslide vote of support from sports federations to remain OCI president until the Sydney games in 2000.

Yesterday in the Dail, Allen had asked Minister McDaid whether he had met the council or received a quarterly cash flow statement.

"I have made numerous requests to the OCI to try to obtain information in order to pay the Olympic Council of Ireland's grant for this particular year," Dr McDaid said. "I have twice requested the Olympic Council of Ireland to give a cash flow statement, and to date I have received no reply from the OCI as to their cash flow area."

He said it was "extraordinary" and he was "absolutely shocked" to hear the president of the council state recently that he was prepared to lay-off people because of the cash flow crisis. "I have asked the president of the Olympic council to show me the cash flow accounts which they have. They have refused to bring that to my attention to date, yet they threatened lay-offs within the Olympic council and I find that extraordinary."

Allen asked the Minister to conduct an inquiry into a "most unsatisfactory situation" concerning a fund of more than $100,000 set up by supporters of Irish athletes at the Atlanta Olympics.

The Fine Gael spokesman said the supporters had handed over the money to the council either late last year or early this year. To his knowledge, however, "athletes have not yet been paid money from that fund". Yet the council said they were unable to fund the medical expenses of top athletes because of the cash flow problem.

The Minister said he was unaware of any individuals putting in funding towards the Olympic council.

"I can only continue to ask for cash flow statements from the Olympic council because I am statutorily bound to do that," he said. The Comptroller and Auditor was satisfied with the Council's accounts last year. But the Comptroller's office also made the point that the Department's grant to the council was formulated on the basis of the cash flow accounts.

Dr McDaid said that he has had "numerous requests from the president of the Olympic council asking me to fund various projects, namely the Winter Olympics and also the World Youth Student Games which are coming up. I am unable to do so unless I get an account of the cash flow statements of the Olympic council."

Allen asked would the Minister state clearly that no funding will be made available until the circumstances behind the funds presented by the support group from Atlanta are fully investigated.

"That would be the case certainly until I get a knowledge of the cash flow situation," Dr McDaid said.