Just when we all thought things were finally getting on an even keel.
REGULATOR REPORT
The Charities Regulator has today issued a report that, according to RTE News ‘uncovered numerous structure and governance failures in Scouting Ireland CLG and related charities’.
At the core of the report is the question of who owns key properties used by the membership. It would appear (reported in today’s ‘Irish Times’), according to a statement by Madeline Delaney, the CEO of the Charities Regulator, that there is a ‘lack of consensus’ around who owns what, with potential implications for Scouting Ireland CLG and Scout Groups using certain properties. It also appears that at least one entity that is a possible legal owner of Scouting Ireland properties is not on the Charities register and thus could be operating illegally, again with potentially significant implications.
This feels like vindication for two volunteer directors of Scouting Ireland CLG unceremoniously dumped by the previous board, with the fawning compliance of some members in a rather shameful act of acquiescence at an EGM in April 2024.
Don Reynolds, a corporate governance expert of a listed company and Jacques Kinane a consultant in a global consulting corporation both long-time members of Scouting Ireland, volunteered as directors of the Scouting Ireland CLG board. During their time on the board, they say they identified and highlighted various instances of concern related to governance. They were suspended and then removed when relationships between them and the rest of the board deteriorated. They argue they were not getting answers to key questions. The other board members contended in essence they were er, asking too many questions.
UNDER THE BUS?
An EGM of Scouting Ireland CLG was called and the majority of ‘shareholders’ present (the group representatives) voted to remove Messrs Reynolds and Kinane. Interesting, a fairly significant minority rejected the proposal, so it was far from a ringing endorsement. Attendance at the meeting was also low, reflecting the fairly high level of disengagement all the shenanigans and skullduggery of recent years has created.
Both Reynolds and Kinane were registered and recognised under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and the Protected Disclosures Amendment Act 2022 as whistleblowers at the time of their removal from office. Both made protected disclosures and were/are protected from removal from office or other intimidatory tactics by law. Presumably Scouting Ireland CLG has somehow managed to uniquely become exempt from whistleblower legislation.
KEYSTONE SCOUTS?
This latest Charity Regulators report seems to suggest that in recent years those appointed and elected to run the national organisation were at best out of the loop on key matters of governance – or at worst were either very badly briefed or simply did not understand how governance structures and associated regulation and legislation work. Or both.
Ms Delaney, quoted in ‘The Currency’, a long form Business & Political publication, said “The inspectors investigation showed that two parallel governance structures exist – only one of which is on the Register of Charities – for what is essentially the same organisation. There is a lack of transparency and accountability across a number of charities and related organisations (in Scouting Ireland) around ownership and control of charity assets that is concerning”
Ms Delaney continued: “While I acknowledge that, according to the report, the charity trustees of Gasoga na hÈireann / Scouting Ireland CLG made some efforts in recent years to resolve matters and exercise control over its charitable assets, these efforts were not sufficient or persistent notwithstanding the challenges presented”
These remarks from the CEO of the Charity Regulator are surely a cause for concern. Public servants are not generally known for an inclination towards hyperbole.
This is all the more confusing given the seemingly endless procession of accountants, lawyers, consultants and PR types being paid fairly hefty amounts of member fees to ‘advise’ the board on how to run the company.
It all seems complex, yet in some ways it is quite simple. Why do all these legacy associations and entities still exist? Why was the former board so keen to get its hands on properties owned in trust (including scout dens of many groups). Why are relationships between the custodians of all these dormant entities and the board of Scouting Ireland Limited so poor? What is the situation now under the current board – an entirely new group of people?
The former board (many members of which were there for a full six year term or the major part thereof) would routinely dodge any probing questions on this and other matters of governance by simply saying “Its complex and you wouldn’t understand” or words to that effect. Of course, a time-honoured way to help stakeholders understand things is to er, explain it to them…
The bottom line from the Charity Regulators report is vintage QUANGO talk. ‘We have found some problems and now we think someone else should do something about it’.
It is not clear what happens next, however this is quite a serious matter.
BOARD AVERSE
A lot of members of Scouting Ireland have simply avoided seeking election to the board because the findings of the Charities Regulator this week have frankly been an open secret inside Scouting Ireland for some time. Who wants to risk their personal careers, reputation and credentials to join a board where one must sign documents promising not to ‘rock the boat’, hold staff accountable or express any views contrary to the majority (I am paraphrasing but read the application process for yourself and see what board members must sign up to – it is a brave person who would do so in my view).
Those board members who are now in situ joined after all this mess was created and it would be unreasonable to blame them for it. They do however have a golden opportunity to sort it out. Handled well, this becomes an incredible opportunity in brand repositioning.
WHAT TO DO?
An acknowledgement that there is a problem. A declaration of cooperation with the Charity Regulator to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. An external mediator if necessary to gather all warring factions (all these related Scouting entities) together and refocus on what is good for youth members (today’s and future members too), not what is good for the bottom line now – tempting though that might be for people running a company with financial challenges.
Don Reynolds and Jacques Kinane should be reinstated (if they agree) and should receive a formal apology. At the very least, it should be formally recognised that these people raised issues that are now proven to have at least some basis in fact. The problems did not manifest themselves overnight. Decision makers, both volunteer and professional must have known about them – and for some period of time too.
DOUBLE STANDARDS?
Let’s not forget we ruthlessly removed a Chief Scout, a decent and kind person, and destroyed his life-long scouting career because he had one ill-judged meeting that a formal report concluded did not even constitute a breach of his responsibilities. We also destroyed the scouting career of another very decent and energetic young man, again for a silly mistake and again one from which he was exonerated by a report commissioned by the organisation. We humiliated a doyen of World Scouting and we dumped a competent National Secretary – all on rather shaky legal ground and most certainly on shaky moral grounds.
Are we seriously going to brush a report from the Charity Regulator under the carpet and not ask some questions of those who made (or did not make) decisions that got us here? Some are the same people who rushed to judgement on Christy Mc Cann (the former Chief Scout) and his colleagues. One wonders if they would hold themselves to the same high standards?
Whatever happens, theirishscouters advice to the current board would be do not limit the resolution of this mess to just ‘doing things right’ from here on in. Also ‘do the right thing’. It has always been part of Scouting’s brand DNA. Scouts do the right thing. (Corporate types, as theirishscouter knows only too well need to ‘live the brand’, if it is to have credentials beyond the business).
AN OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE
This is a messy and embarrassing report for Scouting Ireland, coming on top of lots of other messy and embarrassing revelations over nearly eight grinding years at this stage. It may not be the last unpleasant set of revelations, but as an organisation we can at least try to reset the narrative and from now on be more open and more transparent in how we take the news and respond to it.
It genuinely does feel like SI finally has its first competent CEO in well over a decade. The board members in place now seem competent too, clear-minded and open to doing things right. There seems to be a new air of integrity and professionalism beginning to permeate. This is all great news.
A bad new story can be turned into a good one, if the right decisions are made now.
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0427/1570478-scouting-ireland/
theirishscouter 