Finance | Thurles Information

Former Bóthar CEO Accused Of Misappropriating Charity Funds.

The Third World development organisation and charity Bóthar, of whom the late great Mr Thomas Joseph (T.J.) Maher, Castlemoyle, Boherlahan, Cashel, Co Tipperary was a founder member, has claimed before the High Court that its former CEO Mr David Moloney has misappropriated hundreds of thousands of euro, donated to the organisation, for his own and his associate’s personal use.

**Mr David Moloney, former CEO Bóthar**.

On Thursday last Bóthar, whose activities include aiding poor farmers in developing nations through donations of livestock, succeeded in secured a temporary High Court injunction, thus freezing the assets of Mr David Moloney, latter who in February last resigned his post as the charities CEO.

In the High Court Ms Justice Nuala Bulter ordered that Mr Moloney must not reduce his assets below a value of €465,000.

It should be noted that Mr David Moloney who has worked with Bóthar since 1995 and was CEO of the organisation for eight years, and who currently resides at Newport, West Co. Tipperary; strongly denies any allegations of wrongdoing.

However, Bóthar claim that an ongoing investigation into his conduct has revealed that he is guilty of a shocking breach of trust and an appalling dereliction of his duty; not just to Bóthar as an organisation but also to the beneficiaries of the charity.

Mr Frank Beatty SC, appearing with Mr Frank Crean Bl, acting on behalf of Bóthar, stated in court that Bóthar investigations show that at the very least, some €465,000 of monies donated to the charity had been misappropriated by Mr Maloney.

Counsel further stated that arising out of current investigation it is alleged that between 2013 and 2019, the accused Mr Moloney withdrew €192,000 of money, donated to Bóthar, claiming it was paid to a Mission run by the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Sisters in Tanzania, East Africa.

Bóthar claim to have consulted with the administrator in charge at the African mission, who informed them that the religious order was never in receipt of any money from Mr Moloney or indeed the charity Bóthar, itself.

Counsel for Bóthar further stated that Mr Moloney arranged that Bóthar make three payments, totalling €127,000, to a company called Agricultural Innovation Consultants Limited, for services it provided in relation to purported projects in Rwanda. These payments appear to not be recorded in the accounts of A.I.C. Ltd, which was incorporated in 2018, and has since been dissolved. Bóthar now believe the projects in Rwanda were falsified, and it does not know what became of the funding.

Ms Justice Nuala Bulter granted Bóthar the temporary freezing order on an ex-parte basis, where only one side was represented in court. She also gave Bóthar permission to seek orders requiring the defendant in this case to provide a list of the full value or interest he holds in any assets.

The judge also gave Bóthar permission to seek an order requiring Mr Moloney to provide details of all funds donated to the charity, that it is now alleged he used for his own benefit or the benefit of other parties.

Following the decision by Bóthar to commence High Court proceedings, the charity has decided to cease all of its fundraising activities with immediate effect.

Bank Of Ireland Customers Beware

Bank of Ireland customers need to be aware of a text message sent out today, here in Co. Tipperary.

The text message appears to be fraudulent, attempting to gain access to your bank details.

The message offers no sender information.

The message and accompanying threat reads: – [365 ONLINE] We were unable to process your last payment. Please go to www.365onlineverifyboi.com and complete verification to avoid suspension.

This message should be deleted immediately. Remember if your bank wants you they will send you a letter, asking you to call to their office.

Do Remember: BOI banks or indeed any other bank, as far as I know, do not send text messages to customers; and certainly never on Sundays.

Tipperary Politicians Have No Medical Or Scientific Qualifications

“Keep fighting hard against Covid-19 virus”

This evening, the Department of Health has confirmed that there have been 5 new deaths caused by this pandemic, leaving the overall death toll here in the Republic of Ireland remaining at 1,768.

However, there were 69 new additional cases reported to the Department of Health, leaving the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, now at 26,372.

One new case has been reported in Tipperary bringing our county total to 546.

The number of patients in hospital with confirmed or suspected cases of Covid-19 has fallen; however the number of patients in ICU has increased.

As of last night there were nine confirmed cases in eight hospitals around the Irish Republic, i.e. Tallaght – 2; Beaumont – 1; Cavan – 1; Drogheda – 1; Galway University Hospital – 1; Kilkenny – 1; Mater – 1; Limerick University Hospital (Serving North Tipperary) – 1.

There were 97 suspected cases in hospital; 14 of those patients are in intensive care, up from eight yesterday. Topping the list; Limerick University Hospital (Serving North Tipperary) – 27; Beaumont – 20; GUH – 8; St. James’s – 8; Tallaght – 6; CHI Crumlin – 5; Naas – 5; Sligo – 5; Mercy – 3; Cavan – 2; UHW – 2; Wexford – 2; Letterkenny – 1; Mater – 1; Mullingar – 1; UHK – 1.

Sadly some Tipperary politicians have assumed that being elected to represent the County of Tipperary, automatically gives them medical and scientific qualifications. But be aware, same individuals are merely attempting to retain their populist vote, by foolishly calling for a regional approach on coronavirus restrictions. This would allow for certain rural pubs and nightclubs to reopen.

This ill thought out populist, vote catching support, by Independent TD Mr Mattie McGrath and Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill, would see, if permitted, consumers of alcohol not just travelling from already cluster infected areas, to mingle with persons in least infected areas, but would also encourage individuals to drink and drive.

What both of the above-named politicians need to be concerned about right now is “How can we support all businesses financially, including pubs, prohibited from opening because of this current virus pandemic”.

Tipperary Independent TD Mr Mattie McGrath you will remember, was the TD found to be sleeping recently, as a vote was taking place in our Irish Parliament, a matter which he eventually and reluctantly admitted to his electorate.

Fianna Fáil TD Mr Jackie Cahill, who doesn’t answer email’s, was first elected to Dáil Eireann in 2016, “after ‘severing‘ as a councillor”, (adjective ‘serving’ possibly intended) as he states on his website. You can read it yourself HERE.

I will of course be discussing these latter failures / issues in more detail later in the week.

Continue To Act Responsibly – Stay Safe.

August Bank Holiday 2020 News Items

(1) Drugs:

Eleven drivers of mechanical propelled vehicles have been arrested on suspicion of drug driving in Co. Tipperary this weekend alone. We are aware that one driver tested positive for Cocaine on Western Road, Clonmel, following a road- side test.

(2) Thurles Road Closure:

Motorists, particularly regular users of the (R498) Thurles to Nenagh road are being warned that the section at Latteragh will close (with diversians in place) from Monday August 10th 2020, for some 12 days, to facilitate action on 5 long years of debated emergency roadworks.

The council has now been given the go-ahead for a €14m realignment of the Latteragh bends area, which will involve the construction of a complete new stretch of roadway. Hopefully flora, fauna and fish residing in the nearby Nenagh River, will not bring the project to a halt on this occasaion.

(3) Thurles To Get €25,000 To Aid Town’s Economic Woes

Wow, this is actually a fact; Minister for Rural & Community Development, Ms Heather Humphreys, has announced the lodgement of some €25,000, into a fund targeting activities to encourage people back into the local town of Thurles, and to ‘shop local’, after the town centre was destroyed by Tipperary Co. Council, with the greedy introduction of parking charges.
We understand also it is intended to open a voluntary tourism office to market and promote Thurles. [Funny that; I was convinced we already had a voluntary tourism office to market to promote the area.]
Still, maybe we are to obtain a new Tourism office, one that actually attracts tourists.
One wonders what all of the rest of this vast funding will be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted on; in a year that Liberty Square is supposed to be upgraded.

Clarity On Rollout Of Tipperary Broadband – M. Lowry TD

Independent TD Mr Michael Lowry gets clarification from Minister Richard Bruton TD, regarding the rollout of Broadband here in Co. Tipperary.

Speaking recently in the Dáil Éireann on the rollout of Broadband here in Co. Tipperary, Deputy Michael Lowry questioned Mr Richard Bruton, TD (Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment) asking that if, in light of the looming economic recession and massive expected deficit; the National Broadband Plan would proceed within the timeline announced in November last; notwithstanding the delays caused by the pandemic. He also asked the Minister to provide a current update on what progress had been made and the timescale involved for final completion.

In response to Deputy Lowry, the Minister stated “Within Tipperary the first exchange buildings have been surveyed and the relevant electronic equipment, from Nokia, has been ordered for delivery later this year.
National Broadband Ireland’s (NBI) site surveys are due to be initiated in the coming weeks. Once the surveys and detailed designs are completed the deployment of fibre can then be scheduled.
To support remote working and connected communities, approximately 300 Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) were identified by Local Authorities to be connected to high speed broadband this year, including 8 in Tipperary. This will assist communities to quickly get free public access to high speed broadband in advance of the main NBP deployment”.

Deputy Lowry recalled that previously in Dáil Éireann, the outgoing Government signed off on a €3billion National Broadband plan towards the end of November last. It was heralded correctly as the biggest ever investment in rural Ireland and the most significant since the rural electrification scheme, and the provision of a high-speed service to some 1.1million people across half a million homes, farms and businesses, same located largely in rural Ireland.

“Just four months later we found ourselves in the midst of a pandemic that ground our country to a standstill. Life changed completely in the matter of a few short days. Offices and businesses closed across the country and those that could do so, were asked to work from home. Students left their desks and their education continued via online classes and electronically submitted homework. That is, of course, if you lived in an area where you had dependable internet and a reasonable broadband connection.
Never before was the need for reliable broadband in rural Ireland been more necessary,” stated Deputy Lowry.

Mr Lowry further stated, “I have come across cases where people were unable to work from home and where students could neither receive or submit assignments. This issue is further compounded in areas of Tipperary where high speed broadband has been introduced but blackspots remain.” [Mr Lowry was referring to areas where the majority of properties have access to broadband, but just a few homes or businesses within the very same vicinity, receive little or no signal.]

“As recently as this morning I was contacted by a farmer who is living in an area of Co. Tipperary currently covered by a fibre broadband network. For over 12 months his closest neighbours have had access to a high-speed connection and while the actual fibre cable passes this farm entrance gates, he has been told that his connection cannot be completed as his property, like many traditional rural farm settlements is approximately 400 metres from the main road. He has been informed that it is not commercially viable to provide him with a connection at this time and he will have to wait to be connected under State Intervention through the National Broadband Plan,” Mr Lowry continued.

Mr Lowry concluded that while he knows that these are exceptional times. Such times conjures up a future glimpse of what the long-term future of living with Covid-19 could be like, with much of rural Ireland incapable of catering for these changes. “Simply”, he stated “high speed broadband is not and never has been a luxury for rural Ireland; it continues in fact to remain a measure of necessity.”

In his response, Minister Bruton stated that for the 29,647 premises within the intervention area within Co. Tipperary, to be served by the National Broadband Plan, there are a number of stages required within each deployment area. In order to roll out the new high speed broadband network, this would include (A) survey work to an informed and detailed design; (B) repair; (C) the making ready of activities conducted by Eir; (D) ensure poles are fit for purpose; (E) installation of electronic equipment to each exchange building; (F) development of IT systems within NBI to allow operators place orders; (G) scheduling of connections; (H) physical laying of fibre along poles and through prepared ducts, and finally, (I) upon receipt of an order from any future customer, to activate the final connection to the required premises.

NBI have mobilised their staff and contractors and are ramping up their capacity to deliver the project and to date 22,000 premises have been surveyed throughout Ireland.

While such activities are underway, all homes passed, will be able to receive a connection from NBI before the end of this year.