Updated 7am

UNICEF HAS ISSUED an apology to the people of Ireland for the”public nature of the controversy” caused by the dismissal of Melanie Verwoerd as executive director.

The partner of the late Gerry Ryan has been sacked, reportedly because of her association with Ryan. Verwoerd had worked as the director of Unicef Ireland since 2007. Prior to that she was the South African ambassador to Ireland. She began a relationship with Gerry Ryan after he split from his wife.

In a statement yesterday evening UNICEF has refuted Verwoerd’s claims that she was sacked by email on 15 July, as reported in the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner. The charity says that she “was not dismissed by email, arbitrarily or without notification that this course of action was a possibility”.

UNICEF says that the board and Verwoerd had been engaged in discussions for a number of weeks, and that these discussions culminated in a “significant impasse” between Verwoerd’s views and those of the board of UNICEF. UNICEF says that the termination provisions in her contract have been met in full, and that she has been paid two years salary.

However, UNICEF has denied a report in yesterday’s Irish Independent and Belfast Telegraph that a telethon organised by Verwoerd due to be broadcast in TV3 in October has been cancelled after TV3 said that it would not continue without the involvement of the former executive director. Actor Liam Neeson – who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador – was to be at the helm of the telethon.

A statement from UNICEF through their emergency PR company Slattery Communications this morning said that:

Contrary to what has been reported, the proposed new concept Telethon TV programme was cancelled because UNICEF Ireland decided there wasn’t enough time to roll out the production plan to make an October telethon a reality in the time frame remaining.  It had nothing to do with Ms Verwoerd not being in the role of Executive Director.

This decision and its rationale was previously communicated to TV3 in writing prior to Ms Verwoerd’s departure. I believe you will find TV3 will also confirm these to be the facts despite what one of their executives said to the Irish Independent.

Liam Neeson’s trip to Mozambique which was due to take place this weekend as also been cancelled. UNICEF has confirmed this evening that he will not be undertaking the trip because of his dissatisfaction over Verwoerd’s dismissal.

It’s also been confirmed this evening that Vanessa Redgrave will not produce the World I Loved benefit in aid of UNICEF at Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin on 10 September.

Melanie Verwoerd has said that the income of UNICEF increased significantly under her directorship. In its statement this evening UNICEF says that it appreciates her many contributions, “however the organisation is greater than any one person”.

- additional reporting by Susan Daly