RANK-AND-FILE gardaí have refused to provide details of bank and Credit Union accounts held by their social clubs to management.
TheJournal.ie understands that chairpersons and secretaries of station social clubs have been receiving emails from local superintendents requesting details of all accounts held by them.
A recent audit report identified a number of financial irregularities, including funds transferred to external clubs like the Garda GAA club and the Garda Boat Club.
On Tuesday, Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan told the Public Accounts Committee that a further audit found “reasonable cause to suspect” fraud had been committed in relation to one bank account connected to Templemore. Internal auditing in the organisation is continuing and this is likely to have prompted the requests for information from social clubs.
The PAC has also requested further information from garda management.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) sought legal advice on the issue. As the social club accounts are funded solely by member contributions and do not contain public funds, local representatives have been advised to tell their members not to comply with these requests.
Instead, they are advised to request from their manager the “lawful authority” under which this request is being made.
An Garda Síochána declined to comment on the issue.
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