# Pieta House

Pieta House (rebranded as simply Pieta in 2020) is an Irish charity established in 2006 by Irish politician Joan Freeman, focusing on suicide prevention and support for individuals engaging in self-harm. While it has played a significant role in raising awareness and providing services, the organisation has faced several controversies concerning its financial management, governance, and operational practices.

## History

Pieta House, a leading Irish mental health organisation, was founded in 2006 by Joan Freeman in Lucan, County Dublin. Its inception stemmed from a growing recognition of the urgent need for specialised services addressing suicide and self-harm. Freeman’s vision was to create a non-clinical, community-based approach to crisis intervention, offering free, professional support to individuals in distress. The organisation’s focus on accessibility meant no referrals were required, and all services were provided at no cost.
By 2019, Pieta House operated 20 centres nationwide, offering therapy sessions and a 24-hour crisis helpline, designed to ensure that immediate help was always available.
In 2009, Pieta House launched its Darkness Into Light fundraiser - modelled on the 'Out Of The Darkness' dawn walk held by The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

### Rebranding and organisational growth

In 2018, Pieta House underwent a significant rebranding, simplifying its name to Pieta to reflect its broader mission and accessibility. The change aimed to unify its identity across its centres and services while reinforcing its core message of hope and healing. Alongside the rebranding, Pieta invested in digital outreach and support systems, including online counselling and enhanced helpline services, to address the increasing demand for remote mental health support.
Pieta's annual reports frequently highlight the organisation's impact. By 2021, it had reportedly helped over 50,000 individuals through its crisis intervention services. Additionally, its helpline received approximately 70,000 calls and texts annually, underscoring the critical need for its services.

## Financial management and governance issues
### High executive salaries

Pieta House has been criticised for the substantial salaries of its senior management. In 2021, reports indicated that the top six earners received a combined total exceeding €500,000 annually, with the then CEO earning €120,000 plus benefits. This disparity drew criticism, especially when juxtaposed with front-line therapists earning approximately €25,000 per year.

### Redundancies and salary cuts

In 2020, the charity implemented salary reductions of up to 30% across all staff and announced redundancies, citing a budget shortfall of around €6.5 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of key fundraising events like Darkness Into Light.

### Audit findings

In 2018, an audit conducted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) uncovered significant weaknesses in the governance and operational oversight of Pieta. The findings highlighted unsatisfactory controls within the organisation, pointing to a lack of robust oversight mechanisms as well as Inadequate segregation of duties, receipting, recording and reconciliation controls were identified in respect of donations, fundraising and other income – €26.1m between 2014 and 2017.
The audit found controls and oversight at the charity, which received €5 million in HSE funding over the past two years, were “unsatisfactory”, and made more than 50 recommendations for improvement.
One major issue identified was the absence of a documented remuneration policy, which raised questions about the transparency and accountability of salary allocations. The audit also revealed that salary increases awarded to the then-CEO and senior staff in 2017 were not formally discussed or approved, as evidenced by the absence of these decisions in board meeting minutes. Furthermore, Pieta failed to provide the HSE with a required complaints report, a critical oversight that left the HSE uninformed about any complaints lodged against the charity. In addition, the audit noted inadequate performance monitoring, including failures to centralise essential documents such as tax clearance certifications and insurance policies. These findings underscored serious gaps in Pieta’s internal governance, prompting calls for immediate reforms to restore accountability and public trust.
The audit said the charity had 15 bank accounts- with a total balance of €4.6m at December 31, 2017- which could lead to “lack of control and non-identification of errors and misappropriation" according to audit findings.
In 2015, the charity's founder and former senator, Joan Freeman, was appointed to an ambassadorial role, reporting directly to Pieta's board. However, an audit revealed significant governance lapses surrounding this position. It noted that “Pieta House management were not fully informed about the ambassador’s activities,” and her contract and job description were missing from her staff personnel file.
The audit also highlighted issues with invoices submitted by therapists contracted to provide counselling sessions for Pieta. A review of invoices from 22 therapists revealed that some payments had been processed without proper approval. Furthermore, in four cases, there were “discrepancies” between appointment records and the corresponding invoices.
Another major concern identified in the report was the failure to renew Garda vetting for several staff members over a number of years, with “no reasons provided by Pieta House for not renewing these Garda clearances.” In one instance, a counsellor was appointed without Garda clearance. When their Garda vetting was eventually completed, it revealed a record that required the HR manager to conduct an interview with the employee. These findings raised serious questions about Pieta’s safeguarding and operational protocols.

### International travel

The report said while the charity recorded 38 foreign trips between 2014 and 2017, it had no policy governing foreign travel. Twenty-two of the overseas trips were listed as connected to the charity’s Darkness into Light fundraiser.
The report said the charity did not provide auditors with evidence of “prior approval of foreign travel,” or “full financial and travel records”.

### Historical financial irregularities

In 2012, an audit by Pobal, a government agency, uncovered serious governance deficiencies at Pieta House. Issues included the use of pre-signed blank cheques, inadequate control measures for electronic banking, and failure to adhere to public sector procurement rules. These findings led to the repayment of €31,000 in ineligible expenditure.

### Staff treatment and workplace culture

Concerns have been raised about Pieta's workplace environment, with reviews from self-reported former employees alleging poor treatment, high staff turnover, and a toxic culture. Employee reviews on platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor highlight issues such as lack of support from management, micromanagement, and inadequate supervision. For instance, a former psychotherapist described the organisation as having "terrible management" and noted that "very few stay long term due to the poor running of the workplace and treatment of staff." Another review mentioned a "blaming culture with no support," indicating systemic issues within the organisation's management practices.
It's important to note that these reviews represent individual experiences and may not reflect the organisation's overall environment.