A CHILDCARE worker accused of stealing €117,000 from a state-funded creche has been given a date for her arraignment.

Avril O’Brien (49) appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with 106 counts of theft from the west Dublin creche over a three-year period.

Judge Melanie Greally remanded Ms O’Brien on continuing bail until May 7 for arraignment.

In those proceedings, the charges will be formally read to her and she will be expected to enter a plea.

The accused, of Raheen Crescent, Tallaght, is charged with stealing various sums of money from Loreto Playgroup, St Mark’s Junior School, Fortunestown, Tallaght, between 2013 and 2016.

She no longer works at the playgroup and has not yet indicated a plea.

She was not required to address the brief hearing.

Previously, she was sent forward to the circuit court from Tallaght District Court, where a book of evidence was served on her.

That court had heard it would be alleged that the total amount stolen was €117,000.

When the case was before the district court, Gda Geraldine Ross had objected to legal aid being granted to Ms O’Brien as she owned a mobile home in Co Wexford, was in full-time employment and “goes on several foreign holidays a year”.

However, the prosecution withdrew its objections to free legal aid and a judge granted it to cover Ms O’Brien’s solicitor, Padraig O’Donovan, and a barrister.

Ms O’Brien was given the formal alibi caution in the district court and sent forward on bail of €1,000.

Herald