A father and son who relocated to Spain during the COVID-19 lockdown arranged for a woman in Sligo to collect their Jobseeker’s Allowance on their behalf. The case was brought before Sligo Circuit Court, revealing that payments were collected from Coolaney Post Office and subsequently lodged into a bank account over a span of 72 weeks, from September 2020 to February 2022.
Despite regulations stating that Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients must reside in Ireland and remain available for work, the court heard testimony from the Coolaney Post Office postmaster, who indicated that it was permissible for the two men to nominate a third party to collect their payments.
The woman in question, Deirdre Wheeler (50), residing at Horseshoe Crescent, Coolaney, faced 40 charges of stealing Jobseeker’s Allowance in the names of Reece and Francois De Poix. Additionally, she was charged with money laundering related to financial transactions conducted between September 2020 and February 2022 at an AIB branch on Stephen Street, Sligo.
Reece De Poix (26), listed as living at The Mill Centre, Main Street, Coolaney, also faced 20 counts of stealing Jobseeker’s Allowance under his own name during the same period.
While the investigation highlighted irregularities in how the payments were handled, the court ultimately cleared Deirdre Wheeler of serious charges. The case underscores ongoing concerns about social welfare fraud and the systems in place to prevent misuse of state funds.
