Breaches at Ballygar centre could lead to prosecutions
The review into the Aonad Family Resource Centre in Ballygar has uncovered eight serious breaches of legislation or contract agreements, some of which could result in criminal prosecution.
The inquiry conducted by a firm of forensic accountants in Dublin concluded that the centre was not functioning as a proper resource centre.
After persistent requests to see a copy of the review, an executive summary was provided to the Connacht Tribune nearly two months after Minister for Children and Youth Affairs James Reilly spoke about it on the Dáil record.
The centre was found to be was operating as “only an information bureau and serving the needs of the Community Services Programme (CSP) Horticulture Scheme”, author Martina McKenna remarked.
“There are three primary schools within a five mile radius serving 155 families and 235 pupils along with a post primary school in Ballygar itself serving 160 families and 218 pupils who are not receiving any support from Aonad Resource Centre at present,” according to the report.
A report by auditors appointed by Pobal, which supports programmes funded by the Government, stated they had “not obtained all the information and explanations” necessary for an audit and were unable to determine whether proper accounts had been maintained.
No record of income was kept from the horticulture scheme or a charity shop set up by Aonad.
The fact that proper accounts were not drawn up for seven consecutive years are “constant breaches of Section 147 of the Companies Act 1963 and Section 202 of the Companies Act 1990 which can result in both civil and criminal prosecutions for the directors of the company by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement”, stated the review.
An outline of other breaches of the Companies Act, tax laws, Employment Act and policies and contract agreements with the Tusla Child and Family Support Agency was also detailed.
“I reluctantly can come to no other conclusion but that this project is failing in so many aspects and segregating the community,” remarked the author.
The accountant recommended that Tusla should no longer fund the centre as it was “not meeting the needs of toddler, child and families of the entire community of Ballygar”.
For more coverage on the Ballygar Resource Centre, including reactions from workers, volunteers and clients, see this week's Connacht Tribune