A Naas Company Director Used Money Intended For Youth Care To Go On Holidays And Pay Tuition Fees

Tuesday, 14 January 2025 09:28

By Martin Osborne

Bernard Morrin, 62, from Thomastown in Naas, benefitted from cash withdrawals and transfers of over €700,000 for personal and family expenses, including tuition fees, foreign travel, and holidays.

A former director of Intensive Community Programmes Limited (ICP), headquartered in Naas, misused company funds intended for the care of vulnerable youth.

Bernard Morrin, 62, from Thomastown in Naas, benefitted from cash withdrawals and transfers of over €700,000 for personal and family expenses, including tuition fees, foreign travel, and holidays.

The sums, according to the Irish Independent, included tuition fees and lodging costs totalling €10,879 for Trinity College and UCD, where Mr Morrin’s children attended, and €9,115 paid to Trailfinders and Freedom Travel.

The money was provided by Tusla and the HSE to go towards the care of young people.

A liquidator’s investigation revealed significant financial mismanagement, including a lack of proper accounting and oversight, and found the company had traded while insolvent.

A former ICP manager also misappropriated over €350,000 through petty cash abuse.

Personal expenses included family holidays, shopping, alcohol, lottery tickets, and pet care.

Against a backdrop of misappropriated funds, employees faced wage irregularities, and €200,000 in claims were awarded to staff for labour violations.

The High Court disqualified Morrin from serving as a company director for 12 years, citing serious misuse of public funds provided by Tusla and the HSE.

Asked by the judge if he had any submissions to make on the length of his disqualification, Mr Morrin said he "never wanted to be a director of a company again after the experience I had. I am just not suited to run a business.”

The company collapsed in 2019, leaving creditors with a €1m deficit.