Judge Rory MacCabe

Mayo school benefited by €340,000 from 'inflated' rollbook numbers

AN ex-secondary school principal who fraudulently obtained more than €340,000 from the Department of Social Protection's school meals scheme by inflating rollbook numbers over a three-year period was fined €15,000 by a judge today.

Judge Rory MacCabe was told at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court that John Gallagher (68), the former head of Scoile Muire agus Padraig, Swinford, inflated the numbers on the roll books for the school years 06/07, 07/08 and 08/09.

Garda Charles O'Malley gave evidence that the exaggerated enrolment figures entitled the school to qualify for significantly increased funding under the department's school meals scheme which is targeted at disadvantaged areas.

Mr. Gallagher appeared before Judge MacCabe for sentencing having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of deception.

The court heard that the accused did not financially benefit from his actions and that the €340,000 fraudulently obtained from the department was channelled into school improvements.

Today's sentencing hearing was told that Scoil Muire agus Padraig continues to provide a meals scheme but funds it from its own resources, thus reducing the balance owed to the Department of Social Protection.

The amount owed to the department at this juncture now stands at €239,343.

Garda O'Malley agreed with Patrick Reynolds, counsel for the State, that questions had been raised about the future viability of the school because of the outstanding debt.

Defence counsel Mr. Brendan McDonagh said Gallagher, a man of previously unblemished character, held in high standing by the community, had foolishly taken it upon himself to use excess funding for the benefit of the school.

Judge MacCabe said he was 'almost lost for words' as to the ease with which department monies could be so easily abused and misdirected for purposes other than intended.

He added that controls were lacking as regards funding either at department or school management level and said he hoped that lessons had been learned.

The judge maintained very little moral blame attached to the former principal. 'He may have done bad things but he did them with good intentions. The school benefited, the pupils benefited. Sadly, however, the bill now requires to be paid.'

Describing Mr. Gallagher as a decent, hardworking, man with an otherwise blameless career, Judge MacCabe said that nothing would be served by sending him to prison.