Councillor charged over expenses claim

A town councillor has been remanded on bail after being charged with falsely claiming expenses in relation to a conference on…

A town councillor has been remanded on bail after being charged with falsely claiming expenses in relation to a conference on water management earlier this year.

Cllr Pat Melia, a member of Macroom Town Council, appeared before Macroom District Court yesterday where he was charged with making gain by causing a loss by deception to Macroom Town Council between April 13th and April 27th, 2012.

Insp Gerry Lacey told Judge Aeneas McCarthy the State would allege that Mr Melia (51) registered at the conference but failed to attend and returned instead to Macroom.

He said the State would allege that Mr Melia later submitted claims for expenses for two nights subsistence to a value of €250. Judge McCarthy agreed to adjourn the matter until January 16th, remanding Mr Melia on bail to appear on that date.