Cork man claimed more than €15,000 in jobseeker’s allowance while working in security

A Cork man fraudulently claimed more than €15,000 in jobseeker’s allowance over an 11-month period despite the fact that he was working as a security operative at the time, the district court in Cork has heard.

Darragh Healy, solicitor for the Department of Social Protection, told Bandon District Court that Denis O’Driscoll, aged 60, of Upper Convent Hill, Bandon, Co. Cork had fraudulently claimed €15,101 in jobseeker's allowance between April 2022 and May 2023 despite being employed at the time. 

The court heard that Mr O’Driscoll was pleading guilty to three charges, making a false declaration, failing to notify of a change in circumstances and providing false information.

Mr Healy said that the accused had repaid €6,055 to date while €9,046 was still outstanding. The court heard that Mr O’Driscoll had repaid a lump sum of €4,000 on June 25, 2024, and had been repaying €40 per week since June 31, 2024. 

Mr Healy added that since the debt had not been fully discharged the court could not apply the Probation Act in the circumstances. He added that the department was seeking to have the matter finalised as it had been ongoing for almost a year.

Defence solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, said that Mr O’Driscoll had no previous convictions and the situation had arisen from the covid-19 restrictions. He said at that time his client was working in the security industry but his work options “collapsed” due to the pandemic restrictions. 

He said that Mr O’Driscoll became a carer for his mother at around the same time and found his employment was sporadic after the covid restrictions were lifted. He said that Mr O’Driscoll was apologetic and embarrassed and is making amends for his mistake.

Judge Joanne Carroll said that Mr O’Driscoll had a job but continued to claim. She said that Ireland has an excellent social welfare system and “it is incumbent on people to be honest with the Department of Social Welfare”. 

The judge added that it was “shocking” that tax payers and the wider community would to have to pick up the bill of fraudulent claims.

For making a false declaration Mr O’Driscoll was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 12 months and he received the same sentence for providing false information. The judge reserved her position regarding the third charge of failing to notify of a change in circumstances. 

The matter was adjourned until July 3, 2026, for finalisation during which time Mr O’Driscoll was expected to continue to repay the debt.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme