Senior civil servant accused of fraud remanded on bail

A senior civil servant who defrauded €147,000 from the Department of Social and Family Affairs by claiming overtime he was not entitled to, has been remanded on bail, pending sentencing.

Donal McBride had been working as a Higher Executive Officer for ten years, and had been with the department for 37 years, when the fraud came to light.

McBride (27), of Cluain Dara, Easton Road, Leixlip, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four sample charges of deception on dates between August 2001 and April 2007.

Judge Yvonne Murphy adjourned sentencing of what she described as "a serious matter" to May.