Garda investigates fraud claim in council branch of Siptu

dublin | worker & community struggles and protests | other press Sunday November 07, 2004 17:59 by Liam

The Garda Fraud Squad is inquiring into an alleged expenses deception within the Dublin County Council branch of trade union Siptu, writes Ian Kehoe.

Detectives have sent correspondence to Joe O'Flynn, general secretary of Siptu, over allegations that a number of Dublin union officials forged signatures to claim illegitimate expenses.

Up to 12 Siptu members have given voluntary statements to members of the Fraud Squad at Store Street in Dublin.

It is understood a number of those who gave statements said senior officials had forged their signatures to claim expenses for meetings they had not attended. In a confidential letter to Store Street Garda station - seen by this paper - O'Flynn said the matter was "being fully investigated internally within the union''.

He said it would be the "subject of a report to the union's finance and administrative sub-c ommittee'". O'Flynn's letter, dated October 1, was in response to a garda letter to Siptu last July. In his letter, O'Flynn said the issue was complex and "compounded by the fact that there is a major rift between different groups of members in the branch''.

He continued: "Apart from the complaint regarding expenses, other complaints involving different factions have been the subject of further investigation''.

O'Flynn said the union had assured a number of its members that there was "no impropriety'' and that he was "at a loss'' to understand why certain people were "seeking to involve An Garda Siochána''. The alleged expenses fraud was highlighted at the regional conference of Siptu's 'region 1' last month,when delegates refused to ratify the branch's annual financial report.

One delegate said his name had been forged to claim a E200 expenses cheque for a meeting he did not attend. The delegate claimed the practice of claiming falsified expenseswas commonplace. "This is forgery and it is a matter for the law," said a source close to the union. "That is why a lot of people are going to Store Street to give statements."

A Siptu spokesman said the matter was being investigated internally and the union was not in a position to comment.