A worker at a Government office sought a bribe to give an immigrant a place in a queue for visas, a court heard yesterday.
Seán Morris (55), a Department of Justice maintenance man, was convicted of corruptly accepting €30 from Chinese national Ma Na for a ticket for the queue in the visa office attached to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in Dublin's Burgh Quay on September 26th, 2005.
Morris, of Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock, Dublin, denied the charge, under the 2001 Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, and claimed he was given the money "to have a drink" for helping the woman. Dublin District Court heard immigrants needing to leave Ireland temporarily on business or personal matters had to apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs-delegated section in the GNIB office for a visa to allow them re-enter the country.
The system, which has since been changed, was so poor that people were queuing outside the office from the early hours of the morning, officials of the visa office told the court. The first 300 or 400 people were given numbered tickets for their place in the queue which was usually closed by about 8.30 or 9am.
Ma Na, an accountant who is married to an Irish man, needed a re-entry visa for a planned business trip to the UK and went to the GNIB office to find the queue had closed. She asked another man if there was any chance of getting served and she was sent to Mr Morris.
"He looked around as he was talking and said there is a possibility but it will cost you €30," Ms Ma said.
She replied that she did not have any money but would ask a friend. She phoned her husband, David Piggott, a shop manager, who told her to write down the serial number of a €50 note she had before she handed it over. Morris told her to come with him to the toilet area where he gave her the ticket and €20 change from a roll of notes in his pocket.
Mr Piggott arrived to meet his wife and he spoke to Det Insp Phillip Ryan, of the GNIB, who took down the serial number of the €50 note.
Mr Morris was invited to the inspector's office where he emptied his pockets and was arrested.
Yesterday, Mr Morris told the court that he had found the ticket on the floor and had given it to Ms Ma because she kept "pestering" him.
"She said she wanted to give me €30 and I said I cannot accept it because I will be run off the job.
"She said I am not asking, I am giving it, go out and have a drink with your wife and yourself.
"She handed me €50 and said you owe me €20 and I did have a lot of money on me that day because I wanted to buy a golf stick and I gave her €20." He also told gardaí, in an interview: "I felt it was wrong but it [the money] was shoved at me."
Judge Mary Collins said she wanted a probation report on Mr Morris, who has no previous convictions, before passing sentence. He was sacked from the department and is unemployed.