The former managing director of a Cork enterprise board, who is accused of receiving over €10,000 in corrupt payments, went on trial yesterday.
The alleged payments to James Brennan, former managing director of the South Cork Enterprise Board, were compared to "bungs" received by soccer managers from players' agents.
Mr Brennan (59), Rockgrove, Midleton, Co Cork, had denied 14 counts of receiving corrupt payments of various amounts for the processing of employment grants on dates between December 10th, 1996 and May 20th, 1999.
The charges are brought under legislation including the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 and the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995.
Opening the State's case, Tom Creed SC said the enterprise board was a public body of which the accused was the managing director at the time of the alleged offences. One of its functions was to support small businesses with fewer than 10 employees through grants to help them expand their staff .
The court heard it was alleged that Mr Brennan guaranteed the director of one company that he would get the grants he had applied for if he gave the accused 10 per cent of their value, as he had influence with the board.
Mr Creed said that when somebody in a public body was in receipt of payments over and above what they should get for doing their job anyway, it was corruption. The court heard that Pat Collins of Celtic Shades Ltd in Youghal, would receive a cheque for his lampshade manufacturing company from the enterprise board and would pay 10 per cent of its value to Mr Brennan.
Mr Creed said that seven of the 14 charges against the accused related to offences committed in a public body and the other seven were comparable with "bungs" received by soccer managers from players' agents.
The case continues today.