A candidate in Friday's Roscommon South-Leitrim by-election, who is championing the plight of people in financial trouble, appeared before a District Court judge today for non-payment of about €12,000 outstanding on a Credit Union debt.
An application to commit Gerard O'Boyle, Carrowreagh, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, to prison was made by Dermot Morahan, solicitor for St Colman's Credit Union, Claremorris.
Mr O’Boyle, who is standing for an organisation known as Land League West, is one of eleven candidates in the election contest which has resulted from the election of Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan to the European Parliament.
Judge Mary Devins was told at today's court sitting in Castlebar that about €12,000 of an €18,000 loan taken out by Mr O'Boyle is still outstanding. The last payment was in December 2006.
Linda Jordan, credit controller with St Colman’s Credit Union, said she believed Mr O’Boyle is deliberately choosing not to pay the debt.
Ms Jordan gave evidence of hearing the podcast of an interview Mr O'Boyle had given to Midwest Radio in which he claimed he was the owner of two pubs, one in Castlerea, the other in Glenamaddy, and also owned a business which involved the importation of coffins from Northern Ireland.
In evidence Mr O’Boyle denied ownership of the pubs. He admitted involvement in the undertaking business but not in importing coffins.
Pleading inability to pay the money owed, Mr O’Boyle said his weekly income was zero. The question of payment, he added, was tied to a family law matter which had yet to be decided.
Mr O’Boyle denied being untruthful or that he had a history of being untruthful. However he admitted to spending time in prison in 2009 for fraud arising out of a false insurance claim.
After Judge Devins put the case back for a period of time to allow the defendant come up with some money, he furnished €500 and requested, through his solicitor, for a variation of the payment terms
Adjourning the matter to October 24th, Judge Devins commented that it was a very serious matter to be asked to send somebody to prison.
She requested “the boss” of the credit union branch be present on the next occasion.