Doctor prosecuted for not paying rates

A Co Clare doctor who was struck off by the Medical Council earlier this year is being prosecuted by Clare County Council over the non-payment of over €20,000 in rates.

The case against Mr Paschal Carmody of Thomas Street, Shanraud, Killaloe, came before Killaloe District Court yesterday for the first time.

Mr Carmody is being prosecuted for the non-payment of rates of €12,316 in respect of the health farm, Tinarana House, on the shores of Lough Derg and the non-payment of €8,407 in respect of the former doctor's East Clare Clinic in Killaloe.

The total amount owed to the county council is €20,723 and the council's solicitors instituted the legal proceedings following two separate council manager's orders.

In court yesterday, Mr James Nash, solicitor for Mr Carmody, said that a "substantial payment" had been made to the council and the matter could be adjourned to December 20th. Judge Joseph Mangan then adjourned the case to that date.

Mr Carmody was struck off the medical register last April by the Medical Council after three separate fitness-to-practise committee inquiries into the care he provided to patients.

In a recent interview, Mr Carmody said he felt "very wronged" by the Medical Council and said: "I will do my utmost to restore my good name so that I can continue to help people . . . I have taken many knocks in life and this is a major challenge that I have to confront and address."

The ruling by the Medical Council ended a thriving private and public practice for Mr Carmody.

Figures released in relation to his public practice by the Mid-Western Health Board show that the Killaloe man received over €700,000 in payments from the board through the General Medical Services payments scheme over the past eight years towards the care of medical card patients.

The figures show that Mr Carmody received €714,643 between 1996 and last year. In 2003, he received €100,569.

The payments are made to doctors in respect of the number of public patients they would have in their practice. The amounts paid represent turnover and do not take into account doctors' various costs including staff and administration costs.