The outgoing CEO of the embattled Central Remedical Clinic (CRC) will not be attending the Dail Public Accounts Committee(PAC) hearing onthe top-ups scandal tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Brian Conlan, who resigned yesterday as head of the CRC, said he believed in full transparency on fundraising in the charitable sector.

A spokesperson for the CRC said was no longer an officer of the clinic, having resigned from his post and would not be attending the PAC hearing.

"He has no information that is not known by the remaining officers and Directors of the CRC," the spokesman said.

Seniior figures from the Clinic are due to appear before the PAC tomorrow to explain its top-up payments to senior staff and its use of fundraising money.

Mr Conlan, in a statement on his resignation, said he had recently been abroad on personal leave and was away when the issue of top-up payments in the charitable sector came to public attention.

"Within 24 hours of returning to Ireland I tendered my resignation with immediate effect. I believe that it is in the best interests of the CRC's clients and staff that the new chief executive should not have any association with legacy matters at the CRC."

Mr Conlan, who was formerly CEO of the Mater Hospital, said he was offered the position of CRC chief in July following a selection process conducted by the Board of the CRC with assistance from recruitment consultants Amrop Strategis.

"My salary as Chief Executive was within the guidelines provided by the HSE."

There have been media reports about concern being expressed about the process used to appoint Mr Conlan.
 
Mr Conlan said he had been in the position of CRC CEO for a little over five months, during which time his primary focus had been on preparing the organisation for the anticipated bringing into force of the Charities Act legislation.
 
"I believe that there should be full transparency within the charitable sector with regard to how all funds raised, both private and public, are spent and that all executive remuneration should be within HSE guidelines."
 
"I hope that the CRC will now take the opportunity to start afresh with a clean slate so that the excellent service provided by its dedicated staff can continue to be made available to its clients who rely on it and who should not be the innocent victims of any fall-out, " Mr Conlan added.

The CRC has been heavily criticised for making top-up payments to senior staff, in particular using money raised through its fundraising arm to top up the salary of the chief executive prior to Mr Conlan, Paul Kiely.

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