The Irish Wildlife Book by Fergus O'Gorman

Judge O’Leary said he wouldn’t be in trouble if he hadn’t made false declarations. “If I had known it was such a serious crime I would have stayed out of it,” said O’Gorman. He said he has had “so many sleepless nights over this” and wants to get it “sorted”. That’s where the money came from,” said O’Gorman, who added that if he got work he would try and pay it back. It was 2005, 2006, 2007 and prices kept going up. I said I would scale down to a smaller house in better repair. I sold a house on the Main Street in Ballylanders. I knew it was wrong but I didn’t think I would be on social welfare all that time. “I was trying to get on the property ladder. What can I do? I’ve got nothing from social welfare for two and a half years,” said O’Gorman. I can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. “I was trying to get on the property ladder but the prices kept going up so much. No money has been paid back, €68,804 remains outstanding,” said Mr Judge.

There are six summonses at various points between Novemand April 29, 2014. “He was invited by the department to continue with the interview under caution and he did not co-operate. “The Department of Social Protection sent an inspector to interview Mr O’Gorman in regard to his application for jobseekers allowance.and to put it to him that he had certain monies in his account,” said Mr Judge.Īn application to the bank to obtain information revealed that during this time O’Gorman had €106,929 on deposit with Bank Of Ireland, said Mr Judge. State solicitor Aidan Judge said information came to light as a result of various Government departments communicating. He pleaded guilty to six sample charges of making false declarations under the Social Welfare Act. O’Gorman, who represented himself, said he is living in a mobile home, currently doesn’t have ESB and all the money is gone. Kilmallock Court heard that Fergus O’Gorman, of Knockadea, Ballylanders claimed €68,804 in benefits between November 2005 and April 2014. A COUNTY Limerick man, who claimed the dole while he had over €100,000 in his bank account, has been sentenced to six months in prison.

The Irish Wildlife Book by Fergus O'Gorman