A FORMER Fine Gael councillor who is charged with accepting corrupt payments totalling €80,000 was released from Cork prison yesterday and granted bail.
Fred Forsey (41), who served as a member of Dungarvan Town Council from 2003 to 2007, is accused of accepting the payments from Michael Ryan (58), owner of the Al Eile stud farm in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, in relation to a planning application.
Both men appeared at Clonmel District Court yesterday and were remanded until September 22nd.
Mr Ryan is charged with making the payments as “an inducement to, or a reward for” Mr Forsey to make representations to officials and members of both Dungarvan Town Council and Waterford County Council “in support of the proposed development of lands at Ballygagin, Dungarvan in respect of a planning application in the name of ORS Partners”.
It is alleged that he made three separate payments to Mr Forsey in 2006: a payment of €60,000 in August, followed by one of €10,000 in October and a sum of €10,000 on December 22nd. Mr Forsey is charged with accepting the payments. The men face a combined total of 12 charges under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2001.
Last week, both men were arrested and charged with the offences at Waterford District Court and were each granted bail subject to independent sureties of €20,000 with €1,500 in cash to be lodged. Mr Ryan satisfied the conditions, but Mr Forsey was unable the raise the money and was remanded in custody.
Yesterday Judge Gerard Haughton further remained Mr Ryan on bail to appear again at Dungarvan District Court on September 22nd. The court heard that Mr Forsey was now in a position to satisfy the bail terms, as his father-in-law, Joe Morrissey, had agreed to offer a Credit Union savings account as surety.
The judge was shown paperwork pertaining to the account and ordered that the balance in Mr Morrissey’s account with Dungarvan Credit Union should not fall below €20,000. He then released Mr Forsey from custody and remanded him on bail to also appear again at Dungarvan Court on September 22nd.
Both men have been ordered by the court not to contact any witnesses connected to the case and to inform gardaí of any movement outside the jurisdiction.
Mr Forsey, Coolagh Road, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, served as a member of Dungarvan Town Council for four years. In 2003, he was co-opted on to the council to fill a vacancy created by the departure of John Deasy, a Fine Gael TD for the Waterford constituency who was required to resign following the passage of the dual mandate legislation.
Mr Forsey contested the local elections for Fine Gael in June 2004 and was elected on the 14th count. He resigned in 2007. A former driving instructor, he was arrested after returning to Ireland for a wedding last week. Gardaí told the court he had been in Australia, Germany and Britain.
Mr Ryan, with addresses at Kilgobnet, Cappa, Dungarvan, and the Sweepstakes, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, is prominent in the racing world and owns the Al Eile stud farm.
His best-known racehorse, Al Eile, has won 12 races at tracks including Aintree and Leopardstown with accumulated prize winnings in excess of €700,000.