Housing charity ‘verging on total collapse’ spent €350k on peacock enclosure and driveway

Fianna Fail TD Paul McAuliffe was left surprised how the charity paid for a new enclosure for two peacocks - (AFP via Getty Images)

A prominent Irish homeless charity, the Peter McVerry Trust, reportedly spent funds on constructing an enclosure for two peacocks at one of its properties in Co Kildare, an Irish parliamentary committee has heard.

The Public Accounts Committee was told by former chief executive Francis Doherty that his predecessor, Pat Doyle, had authorised the expenditure.