Sports aid audit uncovers suspected fraud

An audit of grants paid to sporting organisations has uncovered more than 20 cases of suspected fraud and mismanagement totalling almost €4m.

The Department of Sport probe centred on €3.97m of grants approved under its Sports Capital Programme between 2006 and 2011.

Some €3.7m of this funding was drawn down by clubs, but €111,721 was repaid following investigations and some clubs have since been banned from applying for sports capital grants.