We had this discussion already in this thread, Barry. They're accountable for how they spend public money, not for whether they hurt the feelings of branch members. In this regard, I'm sure Comhaltas is as transparent as the law requires. We all know where the money went; the Clasac centre is there for all to see. That's all the guardians of the public purse care about, not which particular members of an organization got their toes stepped on in the process.

Another way to look at it: no one outside of Comhaltas is accusing Comhaltas of mishandling public money. Comhaltas said their branch was mishandling public money, and that the national organization stepped in and remedied the situation. Clontarf branch says no one mishandled public money at all. The upshot of both stories is that the public money went where it was supposed to go: to get the centre built and operational. Why should the guardians of the public money waste MORE public money investigating this situation? Neither side alleges that the mishandling of money remains unresolved, just that the organization hurt some feelings in resolving it. Bottom line is, the government isn't likely to care, and arguably, they shouldn't. Whether the central committee can or can't dissolve a branch according to the comhaltas constitution really isn't a matter for anyone outside of comhaltas.

I do see one way to get the government involved: the former branch members could sue the national organization in court. The fact that they aren't doing so suggests that (1) it's not worth it to them; or (2) they don't feel they can win.

Non-profit organizations always have internal politics, jockeying for power, sudden ousters of board and staff and members, etc. Funding agencies don't care. They are assured by the new powers that be that all is well, they are showed the books proving that the money is where it should be, and all goes on as before.