Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1937 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1935 - 1936

APPENDIX IX.

TRAVELLING AND SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES OF A COURT MESSENGER.

The use of a car by E——dates from the 25th August, 1930, and was continued without official sanction until the 31st May, 1935, since when the position has been regularised.

The amounts involved for the financial years in question are summarised as follows:—

The procedure followed by E————was that, while in fact travelling by his own car, he substituted claims for travelling and subsistence as if the journeys had been performed by train. The result as shown above has been a saving to the State of approximately £69 during the period mentioned.

This errs on the low side inasmuch as in compiling the claims E———— did not insert all the actual travelling done by him on each run. He merely inserted a sufficient number of visits to justify the run as if rail, etc., had been used.

It has to be remembered that E———— always carried at least one and sometimes two other Court Messengers. Since 1934 he has also carried a Detective Officer for protective purposes.

Apart from the financial aspect the use of a car by E———— made for efficiency, as many more journeys could be performed than would have been possible with the infrequent rail and bus service, and from 1934 onwards his duties could only have been performed with the help of a car.

Although it must be admitted that the procedure followed by E———— was irregular, the Department is satisfied that there was no question of fraudulent intent on his part.

It may be added that had application been made by E———— for permission to use his car, it would have been granted subject to approval of the Department of Finance. Such approval has, in fact, been given in the case of other Court Messengers, and in E————’s case from 1st June, 1935.