Taxi firm director believed he could claim social welfare

A social welfare inspector said he found it incredible that a director of a taxi company believed he was entitled to receive jobseeker’s allowance payments while running a company.

John Doherty, a director of Owenabue Cabs in Carrigaline, Co Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of claiming jobseeker’s allowance while working during Apr 2011 to Feb 2012. Defence solicitor Denise Kelleher said: “He is one of three people operating a co-op style business which they took over in 2011. He was 30 years in the defence forces before that. Difficult as it is to be believe, he genuinely believed there was an amnesty for 12 months once you finished work and you could continue to draw social welfare while working.”

Judge Olann Kelleher asked a prosecution witness, social welfare inspector Brian Kearney, what he thought of that. Mr Kearney replied: “It is incredible.”