Bid to quash findings that €535k grants were irregular

A partnership set up to provide local rural, social and economic programmes in Co Meath has brought a High Court challenge aimed at quashing findings that €535,173 it made in payments to various projects were irregular and the projects were ineligible for funding.

The action has been brought by Meath Community Rural and Social Development Partnership Ltd, which was set up to disperse funds for projects in the county as part of the EU’s Rural Development Programme, also known as the Leader programme.

The Meath Partnership, a registered charity, has brought proceedings against the Minister for Environment, Community, and Local Government, Alan Kelly, arising out of a report entitled ‘Investigation into In House Projects at Meath Partnership’. The report, which the partnership says should be quashed, found payments of €535,173 made by the partnership to projects, which the Department of the Environment examined, were irregular. The report said the monies should be recovered and the report should be distributed to various bodies.

At the High Court yesterday, Niamh Hyland, SC for Meath Partnership, which rejects any allegations of wrongdoing, said the report is unreasonable, irrational, and should be quashed.

Counsel said Meath Partnership was investigated by the department in late 2013. In April 2014, an interim report was furnished, in which allegations of irregularities against the partnership were made. The partnership made a full response to the interim report.

The partnership was furnished with the final report in December. Counsel said the report does not take account of the submissions Meath Partnership submitted. In addition, the final report also added allegations and findings which the partnership was not afforded any opportunity to address.

Also, counsel said that no reasons were given for the findings arrived at in the final report. Mr Kelly had made serious findings against the partnership which can only be made by a court, counsel added.

As well as seeking an order quashing the report’s findings, the partnership also seeks an injunction restraining the minister from publishing the report.

Permission to bring the action was granted yesterday, on an ex parte basis, by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan. It will come before the court again in two weeks.

He also put a stay on the publication of the report before the case returns to court.