Three solicitors have been censured and ordered to pay sums to the solicitors' compensation fund by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
This is the independent tribunal, under the supervision of the High Court, which deals with complaints against solicitors.
They can be brought by members of the public or by the Law Society. All three complaints in this instance were brought by the Law Society.
Mr Thomas Flood, practising as Esmond Reilly Solicitors, Dargan House, Fenian Street, Dublin, was found guilty of misconduct on 13 counts.
He was ordered to pay €27,000 to the compensation fund, as well as the full costs of the hearing.
The misconduct included failure to explain how certain valuable items belonging to a client had disappeared, despite an instruction from the High Court to retain them; failure to account for the purchase of certain items, including a piano and a hostess trolley; the sale of Irish Permanent plc shares belonging to a complainant without her knowledge or authority, and furnishing a share certificate with a signature that was not hers; cashing a cheque for €3,043.60 payable to the complainant without her knowledge, and failing to deal with Law Society correspondence about the matter.
Mr Flood was also found guilty of misconduct relating to a different matter, including failure to account to a complainant or her clients for a sum of €35,000 received on their behalf; failing to prepare a final cash account for them and to discharge a balance owing to them in a timely manner.
He also failed to reply to the Law Society's correspondence on this matter.
Mr Michael Petty, Parliament Street, Ennistymon, Co Clare, was censured and ordered to pay €2,000 to the compensation fund, along with costs, for failing to respond to correspondence from the Law Society concerning a complaint about the administration of a deceased person's estate.
Mr Keith Finnan, Main Street, Castlebar, Co Mayo, was censured and ordered to pay €1,500 to the compensation fund, and costs, for failing to apply for a practising certificate in time and for practising without one.