Breandán,

In your last contribution, you state twice and I've noticed it in some of your previous contributions, that the Cluain Tarbh committee was dissolved. Is this the latest spin being put on events by Head Office. You are well aware that the branch as a whole was dissolved rather than simply the branch committee.

You are also aware that the CLASAĊ project committee was not the same as the branch committee although it did share some members. The project manager was, and is, a head-office employee.

There was no mismanagement on the part of the branch although it seems that head office may well have made a mess of things with regard to how they handled the VAT and subsequently dissolved the branch in an attempt to cover their tracks.

The branch members voted for the Ardchomhairle to work with the branch to resolve remaining difficulties and complete the project. The Buanchoiste under Labhrás Ó Murchú's direction refused to meet with the committee, and on the advice of Labhrás / the Buanchoiste, the Ardchomhairle took control of CLASAĊ and dissolved the branch.

At all times, the branch executive acted with the interest of Comhaltas in mind. That is why we pleaded with Labhrás and the Buanchoiste to seek expert tax advice of their own, rather than blindly instructing us to transfer the VAT into HQ's account, an action which we were advised might leave Comhaltas as a whole open to huge tax liabilities. It seems, however, that Labhrás is not one to listen to advice.

I take umbrage at your reference to 'Maurice's committee', whatever implication is meant by it. The committee was voted in by the members of the branch at our AGM. We are all volunteers (apart from 1 member who works for HQ), giving our time, effort and money to build the CLASAĊ centre. Admittedly, I was naïve enough to think that our efforts would be supported by HQ. I will never again be so naïve in relation to Labhrás Ó Murchú or Comhaltas HQ.
Whereas we are volunteers, you are paid by HQ. Should I refer to you as Labhrás' Breandán?

When you say 'the branch committee was dissolved because there was no other choice', do you mean Labhrás gave the Ardchomhairle no other choice? Perhaps if our correspondence had been passed to them, or if we had been allowed meet with them as the branch had requested, there would have been another choice. I'm sure that they had very little choice based on the story as they were told it.
I would point out again, however, that it was the branch that was dissolved and not just the branch committee.

You say that the elected representatives put the branch in jeopardy. How?
We were instructed to perform an illegal action in relation to the VAT and suspended and dissolved for failure to do so.
Since then, Labhrás and others, such as you Breandán, have made ridiculous claims about mismanagement, financial irregularities and various other allegations. If Head Office were aware of such matters, why did they never contact the branch or the branch executive to make them aware of them? Because these allegations are total fabrications!

If anything I've said is wrong, enlighten me – but give details instead of your usual sweeping generalities.

In relation to your posting of 11 APR 08 – 08:41 AM, you asked that I be more specific regarding HQ's involvement with the VAT claim. Labhrás Ó Murchú strongly advised the CLASAĊ committee to pursue a VAT refund claim on the same basis as had been done successfully by Comhaltas in the past. The branch was specifically directed to the HQ financial advisor for help on the VAT process and the branch then worked closely with HQ and its financial advisor in processing the VAT registration and claim.

Apart from that Breandán, I'm still waiting for details of the Ardchomhairle membership.
How many members are elected from each of the provincial committees?
How many members have been co-opted onto the Ardchomhairle?
Please supply names of the Ardchomhairle members. You stated that it was a matter of public record who they were. If you won't give me their names, can you tell me what public record they can be found in?

Diarmaid