Garda college ‘used EU training grants for entertainment’

EU FUNDING provided for Garda training was redirected from the Garda training college at Templemore to a Dublin bank account and used for entertainment purposes, it has been alleged.

Fresh allegations have emerged that up to 5% of EU funding from Cepol, the European Police College which provides training for police forces, was used in this way.

The questions were first raised by Fine Gael’s Josepha Madigan during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee this week, where she asked John Barrett, the civilian head of Garda human resources, if he was aware of the hiving off of EU funds to the account.

Niall Kelly, the head of audit in the force, has confirmed that he is carrying out an investigation in relation to the Templemore Training College and EU funding.

And according to a 2008 audit seen by the Mail, some PAC: Josepha Madigan of that same Cepol funding was also sent to the laundry account in the Garda college and then used for accommodation for course delegates.

The control over the money in this account was lax, the audit stated.

The new allegations around the redirecting of EU funds to Dublin bank accounts are being regarded as ‘deeply troubling’ by members of the PAC. During the meeting Ms Madigan asked Mr Barrett if he was aware of any other bank accounts belonging to the Garda College which had, as of yet, not been disclosed. He said he believed there were further accounts which had not yet been audited.

She then asked: ‘Is there a bank account in Cabra?’

Mr Barrett replied: ‘It has been suggested to me that there might be, yes.’

Mr Barrett said he believed it was an AIB account.

The TD asked what the bank account was used for.

Mr Barrett said: ‘I do not know, is the short answer.’

He said he had given details about the bank account to the head of audit Niall Kelly for ‘further review and exploration’.

He added: ‘[The person controlling the account] was made known to me and I gave that information to Niall Kelly.’

Ms Madigan asked if he had ever heard of Cepol. He said: ‘I believe it is an organisation that pays policing agencies for training courses for gardaí.’

When asked if proceeds of Cepol were going into this bank account, he said he did not know. Ms Madigan then asked if he thought that the ‘EU funding was going where it was supposed to go’.

He responded: ‘I do not know, is the short answer. Mr Kelly himself said that he had already stated that there are two audits currently being examined and that one is an audit of EU-funded projects – programmes in relation to the college going back to 1998. That is currently being audited.’

Ms Madigan said: ‘my understanding is that some of those proceeds are not being spent.

‘They are being spent on non-core Garda issues, if one likes, and the monies are not going where they should be going.’ Further revelations about the Cepol funding are also contained in a 2008 audit of the Garda College which has been seen by the Mail.

The audit states that there was a dedicated bank account for EU funds. Despite this, money from the Cepol course was being sent to the laundry account.

The audit recommended that the laundry accounts be closed and that the EU bank accounts be reconciled.

Some cash sent to laundry account