A former Co Waterford town councillor, who arrived in Ireland for a wedding over the weekend, was arrested and appeared in court this afternoon on corruption charges.
41-year-old Fred Forsey Jr, a father-of-three with an address at Coolagh Road, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, appeared at the District Court in Waterford city on a number of charges under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2001.
Another man, 58-year-old Michael Ryan of Kilgobnet, Cappa, Dungarvan, also appeared in court in relation to corruption charges.
Mr Ryan also has an address at the Sweepstakes, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
Mr Forsey, who has previously worked as a driving instructor in Co Waterford, was accompanied by friends and family in court.
The former councillor was co-opted to Dungarvan Town Council as a Fine Gael representative in 2003.
He retired from the council some four years later.
The arrests are part of ongoing investigations into corruption in the county.
Detective Sergeant Shay Keevans gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Mr Forsey in Dungarvan and said that the accused made ‘no reply’ when informed of the charges.
Inspector Paul Heffernan said he had ‘fears’ that Mr Forsey represented a flight risk as he has ‘no tenancy here’ at present.
Inspector Heffernan told Judge Gerard Haughton that Mr Forsey had been spending some time in Australia and in the UK, while gardaí had been looking to make contact with him.
Det Sgt Keevans said that ‘initially contact was made in Australia and he said he would meet us but he went to the UK without contacting us.'
Solicitor for Mr Forsey, Paddy Gordon, said that his client had only arrived in Ireland the day before the wedding and ‘had intended going in’ to meet gardaí in Dungarvan shortly thereafter.
Both men were granted consent to bail on independent sureties of €20,000 with €1,500 in cash to be lodged.
The men were ordered not to contact any witnesses connected to the case and to inform gardaí of any movement outside the jurisdiction.
Mr Forsey must sign on at a garda station in Dungarvan three times a week.
Judge Haughton adjourned the matter to a sitting of the District Court in Clonmel on Tuesday, 10 August.
