Trouble at Civic Trust over bill for legal fees

All is not well at the Galway Civic Trust. There had been fears for some time earlier this year over the threat to Community Employment schemes run by Dúchas na Gaillimhe, which is part-funded by Galway City Council.

Now there is more unease in the organisation responsible for Fishery Watchtower Museum and Hall of the Red Earl on Druid Lane, among other buildings in the city.

Gerry Hanley, the chairman of the Trust, has written to directors to say its latest board meeting “barely had a quorum”.

He informed the directors, by email, that the Trust, “need directors’ views in order to progress business effectively and in a timely fashion”.

“Therefore, your time and effort is required to be ‘on board’ and not just ‘on the board’,” he said.

One of the matters up for discussion at the July board meeting was legal fees incurred by a member of the board in relation to a defamation charge made by an employee.

“At the last meeting, the prevailing view was that the Trust should pay the €6,500 legal bill incurred”.

But according to his email, Mr Hanley, and one other board member, were “unhappy with making any payment without the views of all board members”.

Mr Hanley also informed directors that a complaint against the Trust had been made to the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) by an employee.

He invited directors of the board to meet with him or to give their views by telephone conversation, in advance of the next meeting.

It’s not an ideal backdrop to Heritage Week, beginning this week, when the Civic Trust is supposed to come into its own.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.