Corkman who 'took a chance' jailed for Ireland's 'largest welfare fraud'

Donal O’Callaghan was collecting his dead father's pension for 33 years. His father, in turn, collected his dead wife's pension for seven years

Back in the 1980s, Donal O’Callaghan started to claim a joint pension for his parents even though both of them were dead. Photo: Dan Linehan

The Cork man responsible for “the largest and longest-running case of welfare fraud in the history of the State” has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed a sentence of four-and-a-half years with the last year suspended in the case against 59-year-old Donal (Don) O’Callaghan at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Back in the 1980s, Donal O’Callaghan started to claim a joint pension for his parents even though both of them were dead. When he tried it first at the age of 24, he got away with it.

So for more than three decades he did it again and again. He did it approximately 1,700 times – bagging more than half a million euro.

Det. Garda Mick Nagle said: “In July 2020 a social welfare inspector at Hanover Street, Cork, received notification of a pensioner in the locality who was due to reach 100 years of age. This would result in the issuing of a congratulatory letter from the President as well as a cheque for €2,540.

“The information was that two pensioners were in receipt of a state pension being paid to Donald O’Callaghan – with Eileen O’Callaghan included on the same pension - as opposed to two separate pension claims. The pension was being collected at the GPO in Cork.

“The inspector spoke with Don O’Callaghan by phone (because of Covid restrictions) who confirmed that he resided at the address with his father and mother, that his father was willing to accept the President’s payment.” 

Over the 33 years, it is estimated that Donal O'Callaghan collected €527,000 in pension claims. Photo: Dan Linehan

“In September 2020, I located the grave of Eileen O’Callaghan at Tory Top Road cemetery and the following week I located the grave of Donald O’Callaghan at Douglas cemetery. Donald died 34 years ago in November 1987, aged 68, and his wife Eileen O’Callaghan died 43 years ago in March 1979, aged 57,” he said.

On the morning of October 9, Don O’Callaghan was arrested after making what would be his last claim for joint fortnightly pension for his deceased parents at the GPO. The last payment of €961.60 was confiscated from him. €9,800 was found in a search of his home and that was seized too. Otherwise, the State is at a loss of well over half a million euro.

Defence senior counsel Ray Boland said on behalf of the accused: “He would have started this when going through his father’s documents. He decided to take a chance. His father was collecting a pension also for his dead wife. His father must have applied for a joint pension. It was already in place (when Don O’Callaghan began to make the claim).

“He has a difficulty with gambling. He went to the same branch of Paddy Power’s on Pembroke Street just across the road from the GPO. He had a huge difficulty with gambling. He tells me he needs help with his gambling.” 

He pleaded guilty to 73 sample counts - 68 counts relate to theft and five relate to false documentation in support of the fraudulent claims. In fact, there were almost 1,700 separate thefts in this fraud.

Det. Garda Nagle said the total amount of pensions claimed over 33 years amounted to €527,000. As well as fraudulently claiming his late parents’ pensions the accused was also claiming a jobseekers payment making his weekly income approximately €700 in cash.