FORMER CEO OF the Console charity Paul Kelly was found dead at his home in Kildare on Sunday.

It’s believed gardaí are treating the death of the 62-year-old as a personal tragedy. A post-mortem is due to be conducted at Naas Mortuary.

A garda spokesperson confirmed gardaí in Clane attended a house at Alexandra Manor on Sunday night, where the body of a man in his 60s was found.

Console had provided a range of services including a 24/7 suicide helpline, a suicide bereavement liaison service and a bereavement counselling service.

It was liquidated in 2016 after it emerged that its founders spent donated money on personal expenses.

An audit found that half a million euro was spent on foreign trips, designer clothes, eating out and other expenses between 2012 and 2014 – while another half a million was spent on salaries and cars for Paul Kelly and his wife Patricia.

An investigation into the matter was launched by the State’s corporate watchdog, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement.

No one has been charged in connection with the ODCE investigation, which is still ongoing.

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News of Paul Kelly’s death was first reported by The Irish Sun this morning.

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