Man who falsely claimed €23,000 Jobseekers Allowance 'paying back debt with legitimate dole money'

A Dublin man who falsely claimed over €23,000 in Jobseekers Allowance has been given a suspended sentence after the court heard he was trying to repay the money with his legitimate social welfare payments.

Michael Cawley (aged 37) was charged with 116 counts of stealing money from the Department of Social Protection by making false claims every week for about three years.