‘I was fortunate to win prize’

The chairperson of Tipperary Credit Union has said she ‘did not influence in any manner’ a 2014 membership draw in which she won a new car.

A statement from Kathleen Prendergast’s lawyer also addressed queries on a 2013 mortgage loan she got when she was not a member of the board, and the payment of State board fees worth more than €8,500 that she was not entitled to under the one person, one salary rule.

Addressing the Renault Clio win, the statement said Ms Prendergast ‘was fortunate to win the prize having subscribed for the draw on the same basis as all others. She was not consulted upon nor did she participate in or influence in any manner the conduct of the draw which she believes was conducted in accordance with the applicable rules. ‘events in Rush are quite different and irrelevant,’ the statement added, referring to the Central Bank’s findings that a credit union draw in Rush may have been rigged before that branch collapsed due to poor governance.