Samantha Cookes has pleaded guilty to stealing more than €60,000 from the Department of Social Protection at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee.
She had falsely claimed she suffered from Huntington's disease, the Court was told.
The thousands of euro were collected from the State in supplementary and disability allowances over a four-year period.
Prosecution barrister Tom Rice told the court Ms Cookes was being arraigned; counts one and two were deception charges and there was a plea to these along with 16 sample charges, he said.
The total sum involved was €60,334.35, Mr Rice added.
Ms Cookes, aged 36 and of no fixed abode, has been in custody since last July the court was told.
She answered "guilty" to each of the 18 counts put to her.
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Ms Cookes pleaded guilty that on dates unknown between 20 Feb 2020 and 6 October 2021 both dates inclusive at Godfrey Place, Tralee, she dishonestly and with the intention of making a gain for herself or another by falsely stating that she had a medical diagnosis of Huntington’s disease induced employees of the Department of Social Protection to give her supplementary welfare allowance payments amounting to €17,747 contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.
The second deception charge involving €40,264 related to the period 3 September 2021 and 1 July 2024 inclusive also at Godfrey Place, Tralee again falsely stating that she had a medical diagnosis of Huntington’s disease.
She also answered "guilty" to 16 sample counts of theft of supplementary welfare allowance payments of €201 and of €289.50 contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.
Barrister Richard Liston, instructed by solicitor Brendan Ahern, said Ms Cookes had been in custody since her arrest on 13 July; he was not seeking reports, and he was seeking a date of sentencing for next week.
Judge Ronan Munro remanded Ms Cookes in custody to Wednesday next for sentencing. Evidence will be given by garda Ray Liston.
Legal aid for a counsel as well as a solicitor was granted at the District Court.
