The club was investigated over the claiming of more than €450,000 for work at its grounds

Bray Wanderers has been sanctioned by the government after an investigation found that tens of thousands of euros in state grant funding was unaccounted for, The Times can disclose.

The Department of Sport began an inquiry into the club more than two years ago over apparent irregularities in the claiming of more than €450,000 for work at the club’s grounds.

The department refused to outline its findings or release details of the sanction after a freedom of information (FoI) request. The Times understands that the department examined several invoices for money awarded between 2006 and 2008 and found that Bray was liable to repay an invoice worth about €32,000. Work listed on the bill did not appear to have been carried out.

It is understood