A former psychiatric staff nurse at the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin has been found guilty of professional misconduct on four counts by a fitness to practice committee.
A Nursing and Midwifery Board Inquiry (NMBI) took place into the former psychiatric staff nurse, who failed to deposit patients' monies in the hospital safe.
Nurse Patrick Stephen Farrell did not appear at the inquiry today to face the allegations.
The inquiry heard that the 45-year-old worked at the hospital from December 2004 until June 2014 when his employment ended.
Barrister Ronan Kennedy for the NMBI CEO said that Mr Farrell failed to deposit €20 for patient A around 23 October 2011, €10 for Patient B around 30 October and €50 for Patient C around 17 December of the same year.
The inquiry heard that family or friends of patients would leave in money for their use in the hospital shop or for day-to-day spending.
The fitness to practice committee found that there was dishonesty, in a professional sense and there was a serious breach of trust.
The issue of any sanction will be decided at a later date by the board of the NMBI.
Mr Kennedy said there had been an internal hospital investigation and a complaint to gardaí.
In correspondence with the nursing board, Mr Farrell admitted to "errors of judgement" regarding patients' monies.
He said he was under a great deal of personal stress at the time.
Mr Farrell said the monies were refunded and an apology given. He said he was attempting to get free legal aid for the inquiry, as he could not afford the fees sought by his solicitor.
Mr Farrell said he could not attend the inquiry at the moment and he had no faith in his union.
He said he had not been sentenced for any wrongdoing and that the allegations were an attempt to destroy his career.
The inquiry heard that Mr Farrell previously worked at St Ita's in Portrane and the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin.
Patients' names were anonymised at the hearing.
The inquiry heard that in July 2013, Mr Farrell pleaded guilty in Dún Laoghaire District Court to three charges of theft.
The matter was later disposed of with a direction that he pay €300 to a charity and the charges were struck out, with no conviction.
The inquiry heard that the patients concerned were very vulnerable, given the Central Mental Hospital is the only forensic mental health facility in Ireland, with patients who had committed crimes, referred there by the courts.
