A senior Garda has ordered the GAA and Galway City Council to investigate a signature – purporting to be that of a Garda – which was submitted on a document by the Pearse Stadium Development Committee as part of a contentious planning application for floodlights at the stadium.

The Council has now called on the GAA to prove the validity of the traffic management plan document, and demanded to know who signed it and when.

The signature at the centre of the investigation is contained at the end of an official document from Pearse Stadium regarding transport and traffic arrangements during big matches and concerts.

Superintendent Noel Kelly of Salthill Garda Station called to the Planning Department at Galway City Council on January 6 to view the “alleged document”, after a report was made by a member of the public.

He has since written to the Council advising that the signature is not his, his Inspector’s or his Sergeant’s, and ordered them to establish who signed the document.

The document was submitted as an attachment to an official letter from An Garda Síochána, which was signed by Sergeant Karen Maloney of Salthill Station.

In his letter to the Council, Supt Kelly wrote: “At the Garda Station [the complainant] expressed concern over a document, which had been lodged by the Pearse Stadium Development Committee in response to queries from the Planning Office of Galway City Council. He believed that a Garda signature on the document entitled ‘Pearse Stadium – Transport/Traffic Arrangements’ was not correct.

“On the morning of January 6, 2010, I went to the planning section of Galway City Council to view the alleged document.

“Firstly, one has to view this document in conjunction with the letter from Sergeant Karen Maloney dated November 6, 2009. Sergeant Maloney had a phone conversation with [Tom Leonard of the Stadium Development Committee] to discuss traffic arrangements. The letter dated November 6, 2009 agrees with their traffic policy for all ‘major events’ held at Pearse Stadium. I have no problem with her [Sgt Maloney’s] letter.

“However, I have a concern with the document entitled ‘Pearse Stadium – Transport/Traffic Arrangements’ which is attached to Sergeant Maloney’s letter. This letter purports to be signed by a member of An Garda Síochána.

“The signature is not known to me. It is not mine; it is not my Inspectors or Sergeant Maloney’s signature. No other persons have authority to sign documents on behalf of An Garda Síochána. I would request that the source of the signature be established,” Supt Kelly wrote.

Now, the Council’s Director of Services for Planning, Tom Connell, has written to the Galway County Board pointing out that the documentation could be discounted unless its validity can be proven.
 

“An Garda Síochána has queried the validity of certain information supplied by the applicant in respect of traffic management arrangements agrees with the organisation.

For more read page 1 of this week's Galway City Tribune.