Garda investigations into money missing from two heritage sites

Office of Public Works:Two Garda investigations are ongoing into money missing from income receipts at two heritage sites, the C&AG annual report reveals.

The amounts involved could reach nearly €33,000.

The report says the Office of Public Works (OPW) manages 89 heritage sites which are open to the public on a seasonal or annual basis. The public is charged admission to 50 sites and other revenue is generated from items such as the sale of publications or postcards. In 2006 income produced by the heritage sites exceeded €6.5 million.

The report said OPW procedures require each site to make a weekly return to its visitor service section. In July last year discrepancies between the weekly returns and bank lodgements at a particular site were found.

The internal audit found discrepancies relating to 25 of the 44 weeks the site had been open. No lodgements had been made in relation to 17 weeks.

"The first irregularity was pinpointed to have occurred in August 2004 and although the sum missing has yet to be fully determined, it has been estimated to date to be in excess of €11,000," the report said.

A second internal investigation was initiated after an unusually large lodgement - which represented an accumulation of three months' receipts - was made by another site last October. A detailed examination of returns found that receipts due to be lodged between July and December 2005 amounting to €21,831 were missing.

The OPW said a split in responsibility for the Heritage Service between itself and the Department of Community Affairs resulted in a dilution of corporate knowledge and considerable disruption in the continuity of staff.