Courts / Tipperary / Report
Without price fixing accused 'there would be less drivers to bring children to school,' defence lawyer tells jury
Summary
The trial of five bus operators accused of colluding to inflate school transport tender prices is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Raymond Heney, Andrew Walsh, Noel Browne, Larry Hickey, and Anthony Flynn have all pleaded not guilty to alleged offences under the Competition Act 2002. The single charge against each accused alleges that between November 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016, they engaged in a concerted practice to prevent, restrict, or distort competition in the provision of school transport services. The prosecution alleges the men coordinated their bids to drive prices higher, affecting public funds. In his closing speech, defence counsel Dermot B Cahill SC argued that Heney acted as a consultant to assist other operators with administrative processes, stating that without him, there would be fewer drivers available to transport children to school. He contended that the accused were not a faceless corporation but local individuals supporting their trade. Conversely, prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued that the evidence showed a concerted practice to distort the market and load the dice against taxpayers. The jury is instructed to consider the evidence against each accused separately while viewing the overall context. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Without price fixing accused 'there would be less drivers to bring children to school,' defence lawyer tells jury. Charges or matters: offences under the Competition Act 2002. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- November 1, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 31, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-12-11 Publication
Why: The jury has heard that Mr Heney would arrange to hold meetings in order to provide services and assistance in dealing with administrative processes. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: offences under the Competition Act 2002 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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