Man on €840 welfare a week

A jobless boxer and ‘engineer’ gets €840 social welfare a week and also has a medical card, Tallaght Court has heard.

Charlie McDonagh, a father of eight, had originally told Judge Bridget Reilly, he was in receipt of €470 social welfare per week.

McDonagh, aged 35, with an address at Stocking Hill, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty to public drunkenness at Stocking Hill on January 23, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to not displaying a disc in Tallaght on June 24, 2014.

Sergeant Bernard Jones told the court gardaí were called to McDonagh’s address at 9.30am that day. He said McDonagh was outside his home and was being aggressive and abusive to a number of women and children. Sgt Jones said McDonagh seemed to be under the influence of an intoxicant and was arrested for his own safety.

He said McDonagh had 12 previous convictions, including one for drunk driving and two for dangerous driving.

McDonagh told Judge Reilly he was not working but he was “an engineer”.

Judge Reilly asked him what qualifications he had.

McDonagh replied: “I have no schooling.”

Judge Reilly told McDonagh he should not be driving as he had “significant” previous convictions. He then said he was in receipt of €470 social welfare per week.

Judge Reilly told McDonagh’s counsel, Gabby Deane BL, she did not believe a man with eight children could be in receipt of such an amount and that it should be higher.

She threatened to keep McDonagh in custody and asked him if he was still under the influence.

When McDonagh returned to the stand, Judge Reilly noted he was in receipt of €840 social welfare a week. This was in excess of €40,000 and he also had a medical card. She fined him €450 for the public intoxication and €400 for the disc offence.