ESB employees are alleged to have demanded cash payments from firms involved in the construction of housing developments to secure preferential treatment for the completion of electrical works, the High Court has heard.
The companies who have made the claims to the ESB are Richmond Homes Ltd and Arkmount Construction Ltd, the court heard.
Earlier this year the companies claimed to the ESB that the cash payments had been sought for the facilitation and expedition of works being carried out by the building firms on construction projects in which they have been involved.
The High Court has also heard that the import of the allegations is that the payments have been sought for the individuals’ own personal benefit.
It is claimed that some of the amounts allegedly demanded, which in some cases are claimed to have been paid, range between €10,000 and €5,000.
The ESB deems the allegations, made to it earlier this year, to be very serious and is taking the matter very seriously. it has referred the complaints made to it about its employees to An Garda Siochana, which is investigating the matter.
The ESB and one of its subsidiaries want to know which of their personnel are alleged to have made the demands for the payments so that they can take action against the said persons.
Employees
In High Court proceedings brought by the ESB and its subsidiary ESB Networks DAC, orders have been sought directing Richmond Homes and Arkmount Construction, with registered addresses at Embassy House Ballsbridge Dublin 4, to provide the plaintiffs with details and information about the alleged payments made by them to the ESB employees.
The details sought by the ESB include names of the people who made the request for payments, details of what was to be done in consideration of making the payments, and the amounts allegedly paid.
They also seek to be provided with the places where such alleged payments were made and the methods by which the claimed payments were made.
The ESB has given an undertaking that the information it obtains will be used for internal purposes only.
The ESB’s action was briefly mentioned before the High Court this week. It was adjourned to a date in October when the new legal term commences.
