A report into governance and management of capital projects at Bord nag Con, the greyhound racing board, has revealed a number of irregularities, some of which date back to the 1990s.
The investigation began following a dog-doping controversy two years ago and the decision to dismiss the then chief executive, Aidan Tynan. The Comptroller and Auditor General examined a range of issues raised during an inquiry in 2006 by former Department of Justice secretary general Tim Dalton into that controversy.
Among the key findings of the C&AG report was the practice of informal arrangements for the provision of security services from April 2000 to 2001 and the making of cash payments to security staff through a private sector. This ultimately resulted in a voluntary settlement with the Revenue Commissioners in respect of tax due on these payments.
The investigation also revealed that works valued at €279,612 were completed in 2000-2002 on a Shelbourne Park project even though there was no tender process and no project manager appointed to oversee it.
Also highlighted was the purchase and acceptance of a second-hand generator in 2001 which cost over €124,000 instead of the new model which had been ordered. A subsequent investigation by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) commissioned by Bord na gCon established that the tender procedure was flawed.
The report also criticised an arrangement between a Dublin garage and two managers at the Dublin tracks to provide each of them with a car, under which they were required maintain and pay the running costs of the cars. It later emerged that the manager of Shelbourne Park had claimed for and been paid full mileage expenses for work journeys made in his car for the period he had it.