Claim garda signature on GAA document faked

CLAIMS that a fake garda signature was used on a planning application for Galway’s Pearse Stadium are being investigated by the local GAA organisation.

After being approached by a “concerned” member of the public earlier this month, the Superintendent at Salthill Garda Station visited the Galway City Council offices to view the document which was submitted by the Pearse Stadium Development Committee.

Superintendent Noel Kelly then wrote to the Planning Office saying the signature was not authorised by him and did not belong to him or any of his inspectors or the sergeant at Salthill Garda Station.

Despite their concern about the signature, the gardaí are not investigating the matter because they have not received an official complaint of forgery.

Instead, they have asked the city council and the GAA to investigate where the signature came from.

A spokesperson for the council said it is not the local authority’s responsibility to inquire into the matter and it will continue to treat the planning application as valid until it is told otherwise by the Gardaí.

“We have to accept it in good faith. We do not have the wherewithal to carry out such an investigation. That is down to the gardaí in Salthill and the applicant” he said.

The signature is on a document outlining the Garda traffic management plan during big matches and concerts and was submitted to the council from the stadium’s development committee last November.

Salthill Garda Station said it does not disagree with the contents of the document itself but has asked the GAA to prove the validity of the signature.

A spokesperson for GAA headquarters said it was aware of the allegation but does not have plans to investigate the matter unless the Galway County Board requests it does so.

But the County Board said it has not received any correspondence from the Garda and it will not get involved in the case until the stadium’s management has concluded its own inquiry.

Chairman of the Pearse Stadium Development Committee Frank Burke said he was “shocked and appalled” when he heard about Garda concerns over the signature, but promised to “go through everything and find out its source”.

The committee hopes to conclude its investigation and make a public statement on the matter as early as this week.

The episode marks a new twist in the three-year battle to install lights at the Salthill venue.

Galway City Council were due to make a decision in the past two weeks on a new planning application but have demanded more information from the GAA.

The plan to install lights at the venue is being opposed by a number of residents who have raised concerns about the impact of the lights and about traffic issues.

Galway is one of the few remaining counties not to be able to stage floodlit games.

Temporary lights were introduced at the venue in 2006 when a capacity crowd went to the International Rules clash between Ireland and Australia.