The head of the HSE has told TDs his agency was powerless to control or regulate fundraising at the suicide charity Console.

Tony O’Brien (pictured) has said the HSE’s audits of the charity were only concerned with making sure it got value for money in its services.

HSE figures have told the Public Accounts Committee that their last audit of Console took 11 months when it should have taken 12 weeks.

But Tony O’Brien has said that audit could not examine the broader financial issues at the charity: “We were not Console’s regulator.

“We were not its primary funder.

“We were purchasing a certain range of services from Console, which were being received, which continued until yesterday, which will now continue with another organisation.

“We have no powers over their fundraising activities or those other extraneous matters.”

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