A Chief superintendent has confirmed that a garda in a large Cork city station took early retirement after money went missing from a social fund.
The matter is now in the hands of the legal advisers of the Garda social fund. Arrangements are in place to recover £40,000 which has gone missing. Chief Supt Culligan yesterday stressed that no public money had been taken.
The garda involved, who is unmarried and in his 50s, held a desk job. He had partial control of a social and retirement fund to which gardai based at the station paid £1 each week. Two signatories were required to withdraw funds, but it is understood cheques were pre-signed for the sake of convenience.
The garda has offered to pay back money with proceeds from his retirement gratuity, but this will not be enough to cover all debts.