Acting head of council for the disabled dismissed after 2 months

The acting chief executive of the Irish Council of People with Disabilities (ICPD), Mr David Lonergan, was dismissed on Monday by a management committee, just two months after taking up a two-year contract.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, which provided more than £1 million in State funding in the last two years to the council, has appointed its finance officer, Mr Michael Madden, to oversee the body's affairs.

Mr Madden's authorisation is now needed before cheques can be issued. The decision to appoint Mr Madden was taken because of the absence of a chief executive, the Minister of State at the Department, Ms Mary Wallace, said yesterday.

The ICPD is one of the structures recommended in the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities and was established to lobby for people with disabilities, of which there are more than 300,000.

Ms Wallace, who is Minister responsible for disability issues, said an audit of the council's findings was currently being carried out to ensure proper financial procedures were in place. Mr Madden's appointment was a pre cautionary measure taken as a result of a preliminary report from the audit team.

The Minister is now tendering for a management team which will review progress since the creation of the council and the likelihood of its meeting its targets.

Mr Lonergan said he was given no reason for his dismissal from the £47,000 a year position. "I was dismissed by memo," he said. A spokeswoman for the council would give no comment. Ms Wallace said the ICPD was an independent body and it would not be appropriate for her to comment on the dismissal.

Mr Arthur O'Daly, who was appointed chief executive officer last year, resigned in April following a disagreement with the council.