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Central Remedial Clinic

Coordinates: 53°22′11″N 6°12′4″W / 53.36972°N 6.20111°W / 53.36972; -6.20111
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Central Remedial Clinic
Central Remedial Clinic
Central Remedial Clinic is located in Dublin
Central Remedial Clinic
Shown in Dublin
Geography
LocationClontarf, Dublin, Ireland
Coordinates53°22′11″N 6°12′4″W / 53.36972°N 6.20111°W / 53.36972; -6.20111
Organisation
TypeSpecialist
Services
SpecialityCare for children and adults with physical disabilities
History
Opened1951
Links
Websitecrc.ie
ListsHospitals in the Republic of Ireland

The Central Remedial Clinic (Irish: An Príomhchlinic Feabhais), commonly known and referred to as the CRC, is a non-residential national centre established for the care, treatment and development of children and adults with physical disabilities. It is located at Clontarf, Ireland.

History

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The clinic was founded by Lady Valerie Goulding and Kathleen O'Rourke in 1951 as a small non-residential treatment centre in a house on Upper Pembroke Street in Dublin's city centre.[1][2] In 1954, it moved to Goatstown where it quickly developed paramedical and educational services for people with disabilities.[2] In 1968, it moved into a purpose-built facility in Clontarf.[2] In the 1970s, Lady Goulding hired Charles Haughey to head up its fund-raising arm. Accountant to Haughey, Des Peelo, was chairman for a period. While Lady Goulding ensured continuing finance from State and philanthropic sources, its medical development was under the direction of Dr Ciaran Barry, who also worked at the Mater Hospital.[3] The CRC opened a centre in Waterford, providing a regional assessment service for children in the south-east of Ireland, in 2001 and substantially expanded it in 2011.[4]

The CRC is partly funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and partly funded by charity and fundraising activities.[5] As of 2010/2011, the CRC was in receipt of approximately €17 million annually from the HSE, with an additional €14 million raised by its charity arm (Friends and Supporters of the Central Remedial Clinic).[6][7] The latter included several million in National Lottery funding.[7]

Controversy

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Salary review

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The CRC was "embroiled in a major scandal" in 2013 when it was revealed that senior staff were receiving salaries much higher than agreed public service pay rates,[8] that donated funds (intended to provide services) were used to pay these salaries,[9] and that the charity had paid its former chief executive a "secret €742,000 retirement pay-off" from charitable funds.[10][11] These controversies (and similar issues at other Irish charities) during 2014 and 2015 reportedly resulted in an overall reduction in donations to charitable organisations and prompted changes to the regulation of charities in Ireland.[12][13]

Association with Jimmy Savile

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British television presenter Jimmy Savile was a high-profile fundraiser for the clinic.[14] Revelations about sexual abuse committed by Savile in the UK came to light following his death in 2011. In response, the CRC examined his history with them.[15][16][17][18]

References

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  1. ^ O'Riordan, Turlough (April 2024). "O'Rourke, Kathleen Mary". DIB.ie.
  2. ^ a b c "Our history". Central Remedial Clinic. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  3. ^ Jordan, Anthony J. (20 October 2023). The good samaritans - Memoir of a biographer'. Westport Books. pp. 119–128. ISBN 978-0-9524447-5-6.
  4. ^ "Central Remedial Clinic admits charity money used for top-up payments to senior staff". Independent.ie. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  5. ^ "CRC 'was hiding money' from the HSE, says report". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Here's how the HSE gave €3.4bn to the CRC, Rehab and all other health agencies in 2012". TheJournal.ie. 9 May 2021. The CRC got €17.3 million [from the HSE] in 2010 but this fell by over a million by 2012 to €16.2 million
  7. ^ a b O'Brien, Carl (28 November 2013). "HSE to investigate if charity money was used to top up salary at Central Remedial Clinic". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 May 2021. the Friends and Supporters of the Central Remedial Clinic had €14 million in funds at the end of 2011. This company, listed as a charity, also received National Lottery funding of almost €4 million between 2010 and 2011
  8. ^ Wall, Martin (8 July 2016). "Central Remedial Clinic will not pursue ex-chief over €741,000 severance package". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  9. ^ "CRC chief quits in the midst of charity top-up scandal". TheJournal.ie. Journal Media Ltd. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  10. ^ Wall, Martin (16 January 2014). "Taoiseach describes CRC revelations as appalling". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  11. ^ "'Shameful': Ex-CRC chief got €473k retirement pay-off – all of it from charitable funds". TheJournal.ie. Journal Media Ltd. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  12. ^ "1 in 3 charities report drop in income after scandals in sector". rte.ie. RTÉ News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2021. Irish Hospice Foundation says that scandals in 2013 and 2014 involving the now reconstituted CRC and Rehab resulted in a 50% drop in donations to the hospice's Christmas appeal
  13. ^ "Charity founders are often strong personalities who are left unchallenged". TheJournal.ie. Journal Media Ltd. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2021. After a number of high-profile scandals, such as the CRC and Rehab controversies in late 2013 and early 2014, there was alarm amongst the public [..] These scandals forced the government to establish the Charity Regulatory Authority (CRA) and appoint a regulator
  14. ^ "Crc Appeals For Anyone Who Knows Of Incidents Involving Savile At Clinic". SouthEastRadio.ie. 27 June 2014.
  15. ^ Sheehy, Clodagh (27 June 2014). "CRC 'appalled' by contents of Savile report". Independent.ie.
  16. ^ Gleeson, Colin (27 June 2014). "CRC urges anyone abused by Savile during fundraising to come forward". The Irish Times.
  17. ^ Counihan, Patrick (28 June 2014). "Authorities urged to investigate Jimmy Savile's links with Irish children's hospitals". IrishCentral.com.
  18. ^ "Call for full investigation into Jimmy Savile's visits to Ireland". Newstalk.com. 27 February 2015.
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