Firm failed to put staff’s money into pension

A building firm has been spared a criminal conviction for taking money from workers’ wages but not putting it into their pension scheme.

Seabuild Ltd, based at Unidare Industrial Estate, Jamestown Rd, Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court yesterday to five counts under Section 58-A of the Pensions Act.

The firm was prosecuted by the Pensions Authority after a whistleblower contacted the watchdog agency in 2014. The court heard that there were arrears of €13,776, but the company, which has no prior criminal convictions, was co-operative and had paid up before the summonses were issued.