Civil sevants fined for corruption

Three civil servants in the Land Registry office and a law agent have been ordered to carry out community service in addition to suspended prison terms and fines they received last February for corruption.

Liam Rainsford (aged 43), of Cremore Heights, Glasnevin, Michael Byrne (aged 51), Parkwood Road, Old Bawn and Alan Quinn (aged 48), of Broadmeadows, Swords, all accepted payment from Dooley’s Law Agents Limited, for speeding up the process by which the company received documents from the registry.

Gerard Dooley (aged 50), of Cranagh Park, Rathfarnham, of Dooley’s Law Agents Ltd, admitted that he corruptly gave cheques to Rainsford, Quinn and Byrne on dates between December 19, 2000 and September 1, 2003.

Rainsford pleaded guilty to corruptly receiving four cheques, drawn on Dooley’s account, as a reward for the supply of copy folios and/or file plans in relation to the affairs or business of the Land Registry on dates between November 16, 2001 and May 30, 2003.

Byrne pleaded guilty to the same charge and to additional charge of "making a false instrument" in relation to a land registry document between September 9, 2002 and June 30, 2003.

Quinn admitted also to corruptly accepting four cheques drawn on Dooley’s account as a reward for fixing certificates to maps in relation to the affairs or business of the Land Registry.

Last February Byrne received a six month suspended sentence, Rainsford, Quinn and Dooley all received a one year suspended prison sentence and were fined €20,000, €10,000 and €20,000 respectively.

Judge Delahunt had adjourned the case to allow for preparation of probation reports to determine if the men were eligible for community service.

She noted that each of the reports were positive, before she ordered that Bryne carry out 80 hours community service, and Rainsford, Quinn and Dooley all carry out 100 hours, which she said must be served within 12 months or they will they be jailed for a year.

Judge Delahunt heard that the Land Registry were at a loss of €15,000 after Rainsford was personally paid €15.50 rather than the €25 registry fee each time he provided Dooley’s with copies of folios and file plans.

Rainsford received a total of €12,508, almost €100 per week, over 30 months for this service.

Byrne, a senior clerical officer, was paid a total of €300 after he photocopied legitimate copies of documents and signed another staff member’s name to the document. He again speeded up the process for Dooley’s by pushing them up the queue, saving the company a waiting time of a number of weeks.

Quinn, an examiner in charge of the mapping section, received €2,400 after he also organised for the attachment of certificates to maps at quicker rate than normal and also pushed Dooley’s requests further up the queue.

Judge Delahunt said that since the foundation of the State the country has been served well by the public service and these men have now done this system a great disservice.

She accepted that Rainsford, Byrne and Quinn were doing a job that they were already paid to do but were accepting funds from Dooley for carrying out their work at a quicker pace, while Dooley’s part in the operation increased his profits and turnover of work, which was to the detriment of his competitors.

Mr Sean Gillane BL, prosecuting told Judge Delahunt that the pleas represented a sample of 122 charges, four of which related to Byrne, 43 to Rainsford, 18 to Quinn and 52 to Dooley.