The trial of a former school principal who has pleaded not guilty to a total of 34 charges of theft and false accounting has heard that concerns were raised in 2017 about the operation of the school meals programme and the canteen in school.
It also heard that gardaí investigating the matter did not check the accused man's bank accounts.
On the third day of the trial of Frank Chambers, former principal at Roscommon Community College, evidence was heard from Jude Lohan, Deputy Principal at the school.
She told the court that in May 2017 the school secretary came to her with concerns she had about the school canteen.
Her concerns were that students were not getting free meals under the school meals programme and that the takings from the canteen were not being lodged. She said the secretary Ms Bance was quite distressed.
Ms Lohan said she did not have an oversight of the financial affairs of the school to know if there was discrepancy so she asked Mr Chambers to explain why the secretary would have concerns.
She said she was quite taken aback by Mr Chambers' retort to her because he was quite aggressive.
He asked if I was accusing him of something, she said, and she replied that she was not accusing him of anything but was just expressing concerns brought to her.
She said Mr Chambers, of Carnacregg, Moylough, Co Galway, told her that students entitled to free meals were getting them and he was operating a subsidised canteen for all.
He also told her that any monies generated by the canteen were lodged and that he had spent money on purchasing items for the school.
Eileen O'Leary, barrister for Mr Chambers, said that her client emphatically denies that the meeting Ms Lohan referred to with Mr Chambers ever took place. "That's a lie," Ms Lohan said.
Ms Lohan said she contacted Chief Executive of Galway Roscommon ETB David Leahy about the concerns.
Mr Leahy told Roscommon Circuit Court that he had received protected disclosures in relation to the school.
They alleged that correct procedures were not followed in relation to the school meals programme.
The disclosures also related to the collection and lodgment of monies from the canteen and pupils being required to pay for meals that should have been free.
Mr Leahy said that the beneficial owner of money from the canteen was Galway Roscommon ETB and prior to its establishment, Roscommon VEC.
Mr Leahy said that there was a process after the protected disclosures which established that there were questions to answer.
He received a report in December 2017 and initiated a disciplinary process early in 2018.
Ms O'Leary put it to Mr Leahy that her client was in his position in the school until June 2018 and was then seconded to the Department of Education School Supports Service. He agreed.
She said he was also lecturing on a post graduate course in school leadership but had stood down from that pending the outcome of these proceedings.
Frank McGeough, a Higher Executive Officer with the Department of Social Protection, explained to the court that the school meals scheme was a support grant to schools to provide nutritious food to disadvantaged children.
There were two forms involved, one of which included a question about any other source of income. The court has heard that the word NO was inserted or left blank in documents signed by Mr Chambers.
Ms O'Leary asked Mr McGeough what the question about other income referred to - was it things like fundraisers or rent from a canteen? Mr McGeough said it did not and confirmed that it only related to statutory funding. Mr McGeough also said "there is no obligation on a school to provide us with any information there."
Detective Garda Chris Murray of Roscommon Garda Station told the court that he investigated the case and had charged Mr Chambers with the offences in December 2020.
Ms O'Leary asked Detective Murray if he had made any effort to check Mr Chambers bank accounts and he said he did not. He said he did not see it as prudent.
Ms O'Leary put it to him that "the man is accused of stealing and is alleged to have made a gain but you did not check his bank account, you said it was not prudent?" Detective Murray said that was his opinion.
The trial resumes tomorrow.
