MS row as council is suspended

MS affects the body's central nervous system

MS sufferers are trying to understand why the entire Northern Ireland Council of the MS Society has been suspended.

The move was made by the charity in the UK because of what it described as a breakdown in communication between the local council and the governing body.

Josie Byrne, chairwoman of the MS Society in Northern Ireland, was one of the council members suspended.

She said officials moved into the building on Thursday in what she felt was a "CIA" takeover.

"Computers have been taken over. It just seemed to be utter confusion. It was very stressful. It was a bit like when the CIA come in and take over the whole building," Ms Byrne said.

However, Ken Walker, who has been brought in as interim manager of the MS Society, said it was an internal management decision.

Internal decision

"It is certainly not about money. There is no question of financial impropriety," Mr Walker said.

"There are things that are different about the delivery of services and the way the health service is structured and how we interact with it.

"But the two things that are common and that are very important to the successful running of any organisation are working together and transparency."

On Thursday, the Northern Ireland council was suspended for allegedly failing to co-operate with the national ruling body.

At a board meeting in Belfast, the trustees of the Multiple Sclerosis Society voted to suspend the powers.

Multiple sclerosis is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system.

There are 2,000 sufferers of multiple sclerosis in Northern Ireland.