SINN FÉIN TD Thomas Gould has confirmed that he is the Oireachtas member who was arrested in relation to alleged business fraud yesterday.

Gould’s solicitor said in a statement this evening that his client “utterly rejects the complaint made against him.”

The Irish Times reported this morning that a member of the Oireachtas was arrested in relation to alleged €150,000 business fraud committed over a decade ago.

In a statement earlier today, gardaí confirmed that a man was arrested and detained in Cork yesterday “as part of an ongoing investigation into fraud offences”.

He was released without charge yesterday evening. Investigations are ongoing.  

“I am confident that my position will be vindicated having met with the investigating Gardaí where I made a detailed statement,” the Cork North-Central TD said on Saturday night. 

“I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open,” he said. 

Gould said that when he was informed about the “matter” he was “shocked and angry”.

“I am entirely innocent and reject the complaint which my former employer has made against me. Despite my ongoing treatment for bowel cancer I proactively requested that my interview with Gardaí happen quickly rather than when my treatment concluded as I consider this to be a serious attack on my reputation,” he added. 

He said that he attended by arrangement with the Gardaí for interview.

“I am confident that my position will be vindicated having met with the investigating Gardaí where I made a detailed statement.

“The complaint made against me relates to my employment as a logistics manager before I was elected to the Dáil in 2020. I worked for this company for 16 years.

“I was a hard-working employee who was promoted to a senior management level. When the company was sold the owner asked me to stay on for a period to help with the transition and I was happy to facilitate him.

“I reject the complaint entirely and I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open.

“I am prevented from making any further comment while the Gardaí continue with their work.”

Mary Lou McDonald reaction

This evening Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald confirmed that the party was aware of the investigation. 

“In early February, Deputy Thomas Gould informed the party that a complaint had been made against him to the Gardaí and that he had been asked to make a statement on the matter.

“He was interviewed by Gardaí in Cork yesterday and made a detailed statement to them.

“We understand that a number of other people have been questioned as part of Garda inquiries. This includes party councillor Kenneth Collins, who worked for the company, and was questioned by Gardaí in January.

“They both emphatically deny the allegations. It is now for the Gardaí to continue their investigation into the complaint.”

Tánaiste

The Tánaiste earlier told reporters that the individual, who was unnamed in earlier reportage, was not a member of Fine Gael.

“I satisfied myself this morning that that doesn’t pertain to anybody in my own parliamentary party,” he told reporters in Co Galway this morning. “I obviously don’t want to say anything that cuts across an ongoing, active Garda investigation.

“Certainly, it sounds very serious from what I read this morning. But of course, there is an ongoing garda investigation. It’s for the gardaí to perhaps provide further information in relation to this.”

The alleged fraud came to light following a review of accounts belonging to a business that the politician worked for, before they were elected to the Oireachtas, according to The Irish Times.

The audit discovered alleged discrepancies in payment approvals, the paper says.

The 56-year-old TD was elected to the Dáil in 2020. The Cork politician was the first Sinn Féin TD to be elected from Knocknaheeny in Cork city, and he is the party spokesperson on addiction, recovery and wellbeing. 

Additional reporting by Christine Bohan & Muiris O’Cearbhaill