The trial has begun of a former school principal accused of theft and false accounting in relation to a school meals programme at Roscommon Community College.
Frank Chambers, of Carnacregg, Moylough, Co Galway has pleaded not guilty to a total of 34 charges which include eight counts of false accounting and 26 charges of theft.
Roscommon Circuit Court, sitting in Sligo, heard that the alleged offences took place on various dates between 2011 and 2017 and that the thefts of cash were initially from Roscommon VEC and later from Galway and Roscommon ETB.
Opening the case for the prosecution, barrister Cathal Ó Braonáin told the jury that a canteen or tuck shop was operated at Roscommon Community College and prior to the alleged offences money from it was lodged to a school bank account but this practice changed and takings were given to Mr Chambers.
He said there was no evidence the money was used for his own personal gain but Mr Chambers was not the owner of the money - he was in a position of trust, and held the money in trust for its owners, Roscommon VEC, and, from July 2013, Galway and Roscommon ETB.
Mr Ó Braonáin said it is alleged that Mr Chambers destroyed or concealed an accounts book for the canteen.
It is also alleged, he said, that applications were made annually to the Department of Education under the school meals programme and that there was a question on the form regarding the income of the school canteen.
Some sections were left blank or the word 'No' was inserted, he said. There was however evidence, he said, that the canteen did generate an income but that was not declared on the form. He told jurors they will hear evidence that Mr Chambers was receiving money from the canteen on a weekly basis.
The first witness to give evidence was a former home economics teacher at the school who ran the canteen until her retirement in December 2009.
Loretta Hussey said when she took over the canteen as part of her post of responsibility it was mostly sweets and bars etc., but she gradually moved it to more healthy eating, starting with fruit and water and eventually introducing hot meals supplied by local restaurants.
She said she charged students just enough to keep going and pay the bills and lodged the money into the school's AIB bank account every month.
Ms Hussey said Mr Chambers came in as principal in 2003. When she retired she handed everything over to the next home economics teacher and assumed she was taking over running the canteen.
Barrister for Mr Chambers, Eileen O'Leary, put it to Ms Hussey that when her client started in the school there were only about 70 pupils there and he had built it up to 450 pupils when he left in 2018.
Ms Hussey agreed and also accepted Ms O'Leary's suggestion that Mr Chambers "did a phenomenal job", was a very enthusiastic principal working 12 to 14 hours a day and built up sports and introduced music to the school.
The trial continues today and is expected to last a number of days.
