Woman pleads guilty to providing false info to get passport for child
Olivia Kelleher
A 41-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to providing false information at a registry office and garda stations in Cork in order to obtain an Irish passport for a child.
The woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons under the Children’s Act, was due to go on trial at the Circuit Criminal Court in Cork today.
However, when she was arraigned she pleaded guilty to four offences.
The woman is without previous convictions.
The offences to which she pleaded guilty include providing false information at the Civil Registration Office in Cork on July 29th, 2009 regarding a claim that a named man was the biological father of her son; providing false information in relation to a passport application at Watercourse Road Garda Station on July 29th, 2009, and May 12th 2017, and at Anglesea Street on June 30th, 2012.
Free legal aid was previously granted in the case. Defence barrister Marjorie Farrelly, SC, said that a number of reports were required prior to sentencing.
She stated that the offences were “historic” in nature and that her client would benefit from a psychiatric report.
Judge Dermot Sheehan extended legal aid to cover the relevant reports. He remanded the woman on continuing bail. She will be sentenced on February 18th, 2025.
