Gardaí did attribute some of the rise in reports of fraud to a “backlog” on reporting from previous years.

Amy McAuley (35) of Connagh, Fethard-on-Sea, Co. Wexford pleaded guilty to one count of the use of a false instrument through submitting a false death notification form

Daniel Nevin, 39, of Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty on Tuesday at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts on an indictment for offences of theft, forgery and using false instruments, committed from 2021 until 2024.