The Commercial Court has granted judgment of more than €1.5m in favour of the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin arising from the misappropriation of funds by a Dublin solicitor.
Ruairí Ó Ceallaigh used the money from the estate of a deceased client that had been left to the Archbishop for charitable use.
At the Commercial Court this morning, Mr Justice Peter Kelly said he had 'plundered' money bound for charity.
He said the fact that Ruairí Ó Ceallaigh had admitted the fraud was about the only thing that stood in his favour.
He said Dónal Ó Súilleabháin, from from Bulloch Harbour in Dalkey and who died in July 2006, was clearly a charitable man who was attached to his church, as he left almost all of his estate to the Catholic Church under various headings.
Mr Ó Súilleabháin left €75,000 to Archbishop Martin, as well as a further €1.5m for the Archbishop to use for charitable purposes, but only €55,000 was paid.
The judge said the dishonesty was unattractive on three fronts: it was a breach of a client's trust, it involved charitable funds and it was an act of dishonesty by a solicitor.
He said solicitors had very important standing in the law based on trust and when this is the subject of 'this sort of treachery' it gives rise to very grave concern.
A solicitor for Ruairí Ó Ceallaigh said he wished to tender his apology and admitted responsibility. He also consented to judgment for €1.5m.
Ruairí Ó Ceallaigh, who has been suspended by the Law Society and whose practice has been wound up by the High Court, is believed to have used the money to buy two properties.
The Archbishop has also taken an action against his brother and partner Cormac Ó Ceallaigh.
The court was told that Cormac Ó Ceallaigh was 'entirely innocent' and was seeking an adjournment of proceedings against him.
Lawyers for the Archbishop said while they were not claiming that Cormac Ó Ceallaigh had any involvement, as a partner in the firm he was liable for the wrongful act of his partner.
He also had a duty of care as executor of Mr Ó Súilleabháin's estate.
The court heard that Cormac Ó Ceallaigh is to seek indemnity from the Solicitors' Defence Fund and granted a four-week adjournment.
