RTE’s Prime Time Show of 6 June 2024 examined the failures of the Charities Regulator to address public concerns, focusing on issues within the Peter McVerry Trust, repeated crises at the former Kerry-based Animal Heaven Animal Rescue, and the now-defunct Cat Haven charity in Cork.
A number of experts were interviewed for the report. Jillian van Turnhout, as a Chartered Director Certified in Corporate Governance was one of them.
One of the topics of the program was a series of donations to the Peter McVerry Trust by the 
Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People charity. These donations were specifically earmarked for the purpose of purchasing certain properties.
An internal finance report of the Peter McVerry Trust reveals that over €1.3 million of one of the earmarked Capuchin donations was immediately used to pay running costs and charity debts, including over €700,000 owed to the Revenue Commissioners and €500,000 to two other creditors of the McVerry Trust.
“This was a betrayal of trust,” said Jillian van Turnhout. “The Capuchins had given the money for a very specific purpose. It was explicit,” To see an email that “violates that agreement in such a short space of time and such a clear manner, it makes me question, where were the controls in place in an organisation that one person could instruct in that way?”
For RTE’s article and link to the Prime Time Show, titled “Betrayal of Trust”, please click here.