Rumours abound, allegations of various shades of indiscretion spread. But what is actually going on at Inner City Helping Homeless?
Founded in 2013 ICHH had done a lot of work for the homeless in the country, a crisis that has only grown worse since its inception through failure of Government planning and continued mass migration. From the start of 2013 to the end of 2013 the numbers of homeless had increased from 3845 to over 5200 and those figures have continued upwards with the latest projections of over 8000 homeless.
Despite this there have been (so far unproven) allegations of impropriety by members of ICHH in Dublin, culminating in the removal of the late founder and former chairman, Councillor Anthony Flynn.
Anthony Flynn had been removed by the charity following the widely reported leak of an investigation into himself (though unnamed at the time) for a sexual assault on two men. Flynn would later be found dead of apparent suicide.
Controversy has continued to plague the charity since, with Hall resigning citing a recommendation to do so by Gardaí owing to “threats to his safety.” Since then, there have been further resignations and a third individual has come forward with accusations: “Separately it is understood a third person contacted ICHH in recent days with allegations of inappropriate conduct against Mr. Flynn.”
At the same time, allegations have abounded on social media around Mr. Hall and so far unproven claims of his financial impropriety. Mr Hall was forced to defend himself on social media claiming that he did not receive a salary or fees from his work with ICHH.
Mr Hall had previously been the subject of attempted blackmail, and separately in 2016 whistleblowers accused him and Life Line Ambulance Service of “serious wrongdoing.” Life Line Ambulance Service would be found in 2020 to have underpaid Revenue and would face a judgement for €416,965.
It is still unclear what truly transpired at ICHH, with threats against personal safety prompting resignations and accusations flying back and forth, and we may never find out.
What is clear is that the continuing controversies seriously undermine the good work being done to help the homeless suffering in Dublin and further afield.
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