The former chairman and former CEO of the disbanded National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) have been charged with fraudulent trading and failing to keep adequate accounting records.
Former NAGP chief executive Christopher Goodey has been charged with one count of fraudulent trading and two counts of failing to keep adequate accounting records.
The NAGP former chairman, Dr Andrew Jordan, has also been charged with one count of fraudulent trading and two counts of failing to keep adequate accounting records.
It follows an investigation conducted by the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) which is the company law enforcement agency for Ireland and directions from the DPP.
The NAGP had been founded in 2013 as a professional association representing GPs.
However, following concerns around finances and governance, it told members in 2109 it was entering voluntary liquidation.
They were served with a Book of Evidence at the District Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin.
They were sent forward to the Circuit Court for trial on indictment.
Both were remanded on continuing bail to a sitting of the Dublin Circuit Court next month, the CEA said in a statement.
The CEA described fraudulent trading as “among the most serious company law offences on the statute book”.
The offence, under Section 722 of the Companies Act 2014, is when a person “is knowingly a party to the carrying on of the business of a company with intent to defraud creditors of the company or creditors of any other person or for any fraudulent purpose”.
It can lead to up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of €500,000.
Accounting records must legally follow certain requirements, under the Companies Act.
In the weeks before the NAGP went into liquidation, its president, Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, and council resigned, expressing concerns.
Its 2018, AGM heard concerns around financial viability and the use of a “fighting fund” of money collected from members to fight legal cases.
The NAGP had launched a legal challenge against the State’s plans to offer free GP care to children under six, wanting this postponed until they could negotiate for members.
It was not recognised as a negotiator for that scheme, but later withdrew the challenge on advice it would fail.
Dr Ó Tuathail later separately faced controversy over his access, while still head of the NAGP, to an agreement reached between the HSE, Department of Health, and the Irish Medical Organisation on a new GP contract.
The document had been shared with him by then tánaiste, Leo Varadkar.
