Tipperary Dentist Jailed for €58K HSE Fraud & Ordered to Pay €100K
A Tipperary dentist, Jerome Kiely, has been sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay €100,000 after admitting to defrauding the Health Service Executive (HSE) of €58,000 over a 17-year period. The case highlights vulnerabilities within Ireland’s medical card scheme and the impact on vulnerable patients.
Details of the Fraud
Jerome Kiely (47), of Acraboy House, Monard, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last November to one sample count of dishonestly inducing the HSE to provide a payment of €326 for dentures on May 12, 2015. The Irish Times reports he initially faced 32 counts of deception, later pleading guilty to six additional sample counts between November 2010 and September 2019. He was also arraigned on 47 further charges of deception between May 2008 and January 2025.
The fraud involved falsely claiming payments for treatments never provided, including numerous extractions. Secret Ireland details how Kiely invented treatments, forged patient signatures, and altered records to submit fraudulent claims under the Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS).
Investigation and Findings
An investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) revealed a systematic pattern of fraudulent activity. HSE dental inspectors interviewed 131 patients and examined 79 incidents of deception, supported by 56 patient statements. The inspectors found that Kiely was claiming for extractions at rates “far above the national norm.”
Reports indicated instances where Kiely claimed for extractions on patients who had already had teeth removed years prior, or claimed for multiple extractions when only one had been performed. In one case, a patient was billed for 19 extractions when they only sought dentures. Another patient reported having only one tooth extracted by Kiely, despite claims for 12 extractions.
The inspectors’ report also found Kiely consistently claimed fees for two single sets of dentures when a single full set was supplied, resulting in an additional €173.70 per patient.
Financial Implications and Outcome
Two bank accounts linked to Kiely, containing approximately €830,000 and €667,000, have been frozen. Tipp FM reports that Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Kiely to one year in prison and ordered him to pay €100,000 to the HSE, exceeding the amount defrauded as a punitive measure.
Judge Nolan acknowledged Kiely’s intelligence and lack of prior convictions but stated the HSE’s trust had been “misplaced” and that Kiely “knew what he was doing was wrong.” Psychiatric evidence presented to the court indicated Kiely had mental health problems and a history of depression.
The Dental Treatment Service Scheme
The Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS) provides access to dental care for adult medical card holders, covering procedures such as fillings, extractions, root canals, and dentures.