Former Cycling Ireland official receives suspended sentence for attempted deception

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Former Cycling Ireland events officer Garry Nugent received an 18-month sentence, suspended in full, for attempted deception involving false grant quotations. The proceedings were reported on 19 February 2026.

Nugent, 51, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of attempting to deceive the Department of Transport. The offences took place on dates between March and June 2020. He had no previous convictions.

Detective Garda Nevan Hartley said Nugent provided two false quotations for an application involving grants of €100,000 and €75,000 for tandem bicycles, and another for a €52,100 grant for timing equipment. Another person uploaded the false quotations alongside a genuine quotation. Cycling Ireland did not receive the grants.

Hartley said Cycling Ireland faced time pressure and a narrow window to manufacture the bicycles during the pandemic. He agreed with defence barrister Cathal McGreal that Nugent had been under specific pressure and provided the quotations to satisfy a tender requirement. It was accepted that Nugent did not gain personally or financially. There was no loss to the State, but Cycling Ireland suffered reputational damage and lost a sponsor, Hartley said.

Judge Orla Crowe accepted that Nugent admitted his involvement from the outset and had apologised. She described exceptional circumstances during the first Covid-19 lockdown, but said he had played an active role. She set a headline sentence of three years and imposed 18 months, suspended in full on strict conditions including good behaviour for three years.