An Garda Síochána is investigating allegations of corruption within Donegal County Council (DCC), it has been confirmed.
However, there appears to be a self-imposed media blackout in the county regarding the criminal investigation - Garda Pulse Number: 21599636.
The Garda investigation concerns DCC’s March 2, 2021 purchase of five houses in its Inishowen Municipal District, known to contain defective concrete blocks - previously and incorrectly referred to as Mica.
In a letter to Donegal county councillor, Frank McBrearty, on November 2, 2023, Assistant Garda Commissioner for the North West Region, Clíona Richardson, said she had:
In a letter to Donegal county councillor, Frank McBrearty, on November 2, 2023, Assistant Garda Commissioner for the North West Region, Clíona Richardson, said she had:
been kept apprised of all developments in respect of the investigation into your allegations of corruption by Donegal County Council and the acquisition of five defective concrete properties therein.
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Assistant Commissioner Richardson added she was “aware that Superintendent Patrick O’Connell continues to update you in respect of its [the investigation’s] progress and current status”.
The letter also informed Cllr McBrearty, Assistant Commissioner Richardson had appointed Superintendent Barry Doyle (Sligo/Leitrim Division) to liaise with him in relation to his correspondence with regard to the death of Mr Richard (Richie) Barron (October 14, 1996).
Cllr McBrearty has also been assigned a Garda liaison officer - Inspector Paul Gallagher - regarding Mr Barron’s death and issues in his correspondences to date.
Superintendent O’Connell (Monaghan Garda Division) is leading the criminal investigation into DCC’s purchase of the five crumbling houses in An Crannla estate in Buncrana, along with Detective Inspector Denis Harrington (Mayo Garda Division).
It is understood they have established an Incident Room, staffed by Garda officers, as well as a Detective Sergeant, Sergeant and Garda officer who specialise in fraud.
In the last three weeks, a meeting has also taken place between these two senior officers and DCC Chief Executive, John McLaughlin, in Council HQ, County House in Lifford.
What is not known is whether or not DCC’s executive officers have subsequently informed its 37 elected members about the ongoing Garda criminal investigation.
The Garda team has also spoken to the Department of Housing in Dublin and the Housing Acquisition Section in Ballina, County Mayo.
It is believed Garda will issue court warrants in the coming weeks for all of the documentation held by the three bodies in relation to DCC’s purchase of the five houses.
The revelation DCC had purchased the five houses from a developer to add to its social housing stock, initially emerged in June 2021.
The funding for the purchase came from the Department of Housing.
The purchase cost of the houses was €602,000. The refurbishment cost of the houses was €68,650 and the fees for the purchase amounted to €12,000.
In addition, DCC had previously leased the five houses for 10 years at a cost of €307,000 and, when that lease expired, it rented the houses at a cost of €33,000.
In total, DCC spent €1,022,655 on the five properties.
In February 2022, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage confirmed: “The Department was not aware of issues relating to mica in the properties referred to, when they were acquired by Donegal County Council.”
This failure was highlighted again by an external review of the purchase commissioned by DCC following accusations of “systemic corruption” within the Council made by Cllr McBrearty.
The review, published in July 2022, was carried out by consultants BDO Ireland.
It found the written notification to the Department of Housing on the condition of the five houses could have been qualified “and/or could have included the details of the geological tests the council had carried out in 2019”.
The BDO review continued:
Approval by the Department of Housing was granted on October 9, 2020 and was conditional on the council being satisfied as to the condition of the five houses, which they were, having commissioned the geological tests in 2019 and having been inspected by the council.
On March 4, 2021, the council sought approval for the drawdown of the funds for the purchase. As part of its submission process, the council stated on a form provided to the department that the houses were of ‘good condition, improvement works required’ which the council believed was consistent with its assessments carried out in 2019 and 2020.
However, BDO believes that this statement could have been qualified by reference to the geological tests that had been conducted in 2019.
The Department of Housing approved the purchase of the five houses, conditional upon the council being satisfied as to their condition.
⏪Hugh O’Donnell is on the ground in Donegal.
Well done Clr@Frank McBrearty .... where does this leave the spineless, cowardly, ass licking 36 other Clrs who attacked you without mercy for simply attempting to get answers to relevant questions on behalf of the Defective Concrete victims. They rounded on you and had you prosecuted in the High Court on fraudulent malicious trumped up charges in an attempt to close you down and silence you as you persisted in searching for the truth. ....... Shame too on the many homeowners who never lifted a finger on your behalf as the Cl Executive and rogue Clr's laid into you.
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