BUS ÉIREANN HAS said it fully agrees with ministers Varadkar, Kelly and Cannon’s comments about allegations of ‘kickbacks’ given to the company’s managers in exchange for guaranteeing school bus route contracts.
A whistleblower has alleged that managers were given free holidays, gifts and free transport in return for guaranteeing contracts for a school scheme for children with disabilities and the ministers yesterday called on the whistleblower to contact gardaí.
In a statement today, Bus Éireann said it concurs with the view that corruption is a criminal offence. “We treat such matters with the utmost gravity,” it said.
“We also fully support the ministers’ call on the former contractor to immediately report this matter to the gardaí and to furnish any evidence in his possession forthwith,” the statement continued.
An internal investigation prompted by the Public Accounts Committee found no need to take further action or to report the matter to gardaí.
We tender all contracts in a fair and transparent fashion. We have investigated all the allegations contained within the contractor’s affidavit. Some of these allegations were withdrawn by him. Other allegations were substantially modified. All of the allegations that concerned other individuals were not corroborated.
The company said it will place the content of the affidavit in question and recent correspondence with the Public Accounts Committee on the matter on its website today.
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