Cork firm that secured EU grant for early detection of forest fires pleads guilty to fraud

Court heard company 'misused part of the pre-financing in order to pay two companies for providing services for their casino and hotel projects in Cyprus'

Company was fined €15,000 and ordered to pay €5,000 — consisting of €1,000 to each of five Cork charities. Picture: Larry Cummins

European grant support was secured for research into the design of a system for early detection forest fires, but a company involved in the application was fined for a fraud against the European Union in respect of some of the grants claimed — the first Irish prosecution of its kind.

Lightwave Optics Ltd, trading as Irish Precision Optics, of 22 Summerhill North, Cork, was fined €15,000 and ordered to pay €5,000 — consisting of €1,000 to each of five Cork charities, Simon, St Vincent de Paul, Cork Penny Dinners, Share, and the charity associated with search and rescue in Cork city.