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 Mr Daniel Kelly, aged 24, with an address at Tulla, Capparoe, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, pleaded guilty to arson, causing €77,500 worth of damage, at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court this week. The damage, which was caused in February 2015, referred to a barn and farm machinery on the property of Mr Patrick Scanlan, Garraunboy, Killaloe, Co. Clare.
A co-accused named as Mr Cathal Griffin, aged 26, of Wilton, Ballymackey, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary also pleaded guilty to the theft of property valued at €3,800. All together item found missing included power hoses, a quantity of electric fencing, electric tools, solid fuel and a chainsaw.
The fire destroyed two attached farm buildings, together with housed farm machinery, including two silage trailers (€30,000), one fertiliser spreader (€4,000), one silage spreader (€2,500), and new tractor tyres.
The victim of the crime, Mr Scanlan, explained that a number of tools and equipment, valued at some €6,000 had also been stolen, including an angle grinder and approximately six bags of coal. While some of these items had been recovered; there remained a debt of €2,000 outstanding.
Gardaí identified Mr Kelly as the person responsible, having recovered a number of the stolen items from an other individual, who had received them from the accused. Co-accused Mr Griffin was identified from a silver Nissan Micra car used and recorded on CCTV.
Justice Mr Gerald Keys reserved his judgement in the case and adjourned sentencing to April 25th next.
A court heard today that a Lithuanian male, Mr Tomas Mikalajunas, was accidentally shot in the face and seriously injured by armed Gardaí, when they intercepted an international burglary gang, at a checkpoint between Ardagh and Shanagolden, Co Limerick, on June 28th 2016 last.
Mr Aurimas Petraska, a Lithuanian man, aged 32, with addresses at Kaunas, Lithuania, and Church Street, Rathkeale, Co Limerick; also, a known associate of the wounded man, today pleaded guilty to a string of major burglaries, involving the theft of €150,000 of women’s clothes and ‘Chanel’ beauty products, from pharmacies across the province of Munster.
While Mr Petraska was the only member of the gang to be charged; Mr Michael Collins prosecuting, informed Limerick Circuit Court, of the gang’s precision, military style operations. Dressed in black fatigues and wearing head lights, this gang were observed on CCTV footage inside the premises they were looting; checking their watches, as they limited themselves to strictly a 6 minute operation.
Amongst the premises raided and ransacked were O’Briens Pharmacy, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, where €20,000 worth of Chanel products was stolen, together with products from two other premises; one situated in Co. Cork and one in Co. Limerick.
Mr Petraska admitted using cheap cars fitted out with cement blocks, which were used as battering rams to gain access through the fronts of these business premises.
Mr Justice Tom O’Donnell today, praised highly, members of Cork Division Gardaí, led by Det. Insp. Joe Moore; Det. Gda. Michael Brosnan, and Det. Gda. Ailish Murphy, for their professionalism in tracking the gang over a two-year period, which involved the use of both Europol and Interpol resources.
Mr Petraska, who pleaded guilty to the charges, had his sentencing adjourned to May 5th 2017 next.
 Templemore Garda Training College Campus. Some nineteen recommendations have been made concerning the financial irregularities found at the Garda Training College in Templemore, Co. Tipperary.
The governments Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman, Mr Seán Fleming (Fianna Fáil) has requested that the Garda Commissioner, Mrs Nóirín O’Sullivan, should now be called on to further explain what he himself described as “a breakdown of all financial controls” at the Garda College campus.
The Garda Internal Audit Section have forwarded a report to the Minister for Justice, Mrs Frances Fitzgerald and the Garda Commissioner, Mrs Nóirín O’Sullivan. Same focuses on previous and outdated accounting practices; detailing so called financial irregularities at the Tipperary College, over the past 6.5 years approximately.
Same report (Audited between January 2009 and March 2016, when around €112m was spent), based on 50 bank accounts audited, is understood to contain evidence of the complex switching of funds between financial statements, resulted in a non-transparent system of accounting, which indicates that monies were possibly expended on gifts and entertainment.
The audit report is understood to have contained the following information:
(A) The auditors stated that they could give no assurance that the financial controls at the Garda College were compliant with public financial procedures or the Garda Finance Code.
(B) A sum of €124,903 was collected in rent for Dromad Farm, Clonmore, Templemore, Co. Tipperary. [Latter was a 220 acre site, purchased using tax payer funding, for use by the college as a possible Tactical Training Centre, at the Celtic Tiger inflated price of €5.5 million, back about 2006. The property was never used for the intended purpose.]
While the holding company for this land was operated by Garda College management as directors, the Office of Public Works (OPW), it would now appear, was the legal owner of this property. In their right therefore, the report states, the OPW were entitled to receive this financial emolument, some of which may have actually been spent on entertainment, presentations, sponsorship and donations to charity, e.g. Fiacri House & Restaurant, Boulerea, Knock, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary (€740.00), Lions Club (€120.00), Special Olympics (€100.00), St Joseph’s School (€200.00), and four presentations made on the transfer and retirement of senior Garda personnel (€1,588.00).
The report also states that Garda staff, who were Directors of the land company now need to correct the public record and make declarations under the Ethics in Public Office and Standards in Public Office legislation. It also insists that all land and buildings at Templemore should be transferred immediately into the ownership of the OPW, to which the latter should be paid more than €120,000 in back rent.
(C) It found that some 37% of a ‘Laundry and Services’ account, was not being used for the true purpose stated. Indications relating to this account suggest that monies were used for other purposes, e.g. Meals and Entertainment (€7,231.00), Contributions to Charities (€3,030.00), Parish Clergy (€2,150.00) and Golf Society (€1,040.00).
(D) Issues found in relation to the College Bar possibly relate to poor management and inadequate stock control, rather than any suspicion of theft or fraud.
The auditors now recommend
(1) A company based at the college, known as the ‘Garda College Sports Field Company Limited’ be wound up.
(2) Funding applications from College Clubs and Societies be evaluated in a more transparent manner.
(3) The report criticises the fact that Garda staff in administrative roles at the college, remain in ignorance regarding public financial procedures, essential to the correct running of the college.
This report also stresses that its findings are only an interim testimony and that further more in-depth auditing is possibly required.
 An Garda Síochána is due to publish a report with regard to what are seen as ‘financial irregularities’ at the Garda Training College in Templemore, Co. Tipperary.
The Garda’s Internal Audit Section have examined financial transactions over a number of years at the Templemore college and are understood to have discovered what are regarded as financial irregularities, suggesting that money may have been spent on gifts and entertainment.
The report, forwarded to the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner, identified a large number of bank accounts examined as part of a non-transparent system of accounting. One such account, identified as a laundry account; it appears was not being used for the purpose as identified.
However, the Garda Commissioner, Mrs Nóirín O’Sullivan, has stated that she regards the issue as merely a past legacy problem. While she admits that the then prevailing accounting practices would not be in acceptable by today’s standards, there has never been in fact any misappropriation of money or misuse of public funding.
Last night Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Mrs Frances Fitzgerald informed those in attendance in Dáil Éireann that the report raises governance issues. Same will be referred to the Comptroller and Auditor General and to the Public Accounts Committee whose mission is to provide independent assurance that public funds and resources are used in accordance with the law and are managed to good effect while properly accounted for; thus, contributing to improvement in public administration.
For the last week, the Garda force nationally has come under strong criticism, following serious irregularities identified in road traffic policing; involving issues around breath testing and speeding convictions.
A farmer, named as Mr Pat Quirke, aged 49, with an address at Breanshamore, Tipperary, has appeared in court at the Excel Centre in Tipperary town, charged with the murder of lorry driver and part-time Disc Jockey Mr Bobby Ryan, aged 52, in or about June 3rd 2011, at an unknown location.
 The murdered, separated father of two resided in Boherlahan, near Cashel in South Tipperary and had been reported missing by his family after he failed to appear at his place of work at Killough Quarry, Tipperary. His abandoned Citroen van had been later identified in a woodland area of Bansha; located by his daughter Michelle. Mr Ryan’s body was found in a concealed slurry tank, 22 months later, on April 30th 2013, following his disappearance.
The accused Mr Quirke was arrested yesterday (Tuesday March 21st, 2017) at 5.10pm in Grangemore, Tipperary, before being brought to Tipperary garda station, where he was later charged at 6.30pm.
This morning the accused was presented to a sitting of Tipperary district court accused of Mr Bobby Ryan’s murder. Detective Inspector Patrick O’Callaghan informed the court that when replying to the murder charge, Mr Quirke acknowledged he understood the contents of the charge, but stated he didn’t agree with the charge.
Acting in defence of the accused, Solicitor M/s Aoife Corridan stated she would be making an application for bail later to the High Court. Judge M/s Marie Keane remanded Mr Quirke be held in custody to appear at Thurles district court on Tuesday next, March 28th, 2017.
Members of the late Mr Bobby Ryan’s family were in attendance at court for the hearing.
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