Man with €373k savings claimed €29k welfare

A bachelor who defrauded social welfare of over €29,000 at a time when he had €373,000 of savings in the bank claimed that he could only afford to repay at a rate of €10 a week.

That was the repayment offer made by Thomas Hegarty, aged 57, of Pearse Place, Ballyphehane, Cork, at Cork District Court last week. Judge Olann Kelleher gave Hegarty an ultimatum to repay the amount in full by yesterday or go to jail.

Solicitor for Hegarty, Peter Quigley, confirmed yesterday that the accused had drawn a cheque for the full amount of what was owed — €29,719.