Following an investigation carried out by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, a file was submitted and a direction to charge was received from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On the 24th July 2019 an Auditor Mr Sean O’Neill was arrested and charged with 23 counts of theft, Contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The offences related to theft of €28,520 the property of the Department of Social Protection.
On the 1st November 2019 the defendant pleaded guilty to a single indictment for Theft contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Offences Act 2001 before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Detective Garda Miriam Redican a member of An Garda Síochána and an officer of ODCE gave evidence of the facts of the case. On the 28th November 2019 the matter was before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and the defendant was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 24 months imprisonment, the final 19 months were suspended on certain conditions including the necessity to repay €18,000 to the Department of Social Protection.