Registration with social work regulator cancelled

The President of the High Court has ordered the cancellation of a former HSE social worker’s registration with the body regulating her profession.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly made the order against Jennifer O’Driscoll on the application of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council (HSCPC).

Ms O’Driscoll, aged 45, is in Limerick Prison and is due to be sentenced today for theft and deception.

Ms O’Driscoll of World’s End, Kinsale, Co Cork, pleaded guilty last June in Cork Circuit Criminal Court to 38 counts of theft and 42 of deception. She used her knowledge of the fostering system to generate non-existant child placements. She collected fortnightly social welfare fostering payments between 2008 and 2013, involving €100,000.

She put names on a HSE list of children at risk, even though these children were not at risk or even in care. She was dismissed by the HSE and expressed remorse.

She had collected €18,000 compensation, planned to have another €10,000 soon, and was willing to forego her pension entitlements of around €15,000. Mr Justice Kelly, in confirming the cancellation of her registration with the HSCPC, said the body had said having regard to evidence before it, there was little it could do but recommend cancellation.