Former Fianna Fáil TD Ned O'Keeffe has pleaded guilty to five counts of falsely claiming mobile phone expenses while a member of Dáil Éireann.

He has received a suspended seven-month prison sentence and has been fined €3,500.

While acknowledging compensation totalling €3,737.50 had been paid, Judge Leo Malone said the sentence had to reflect the seriousness of the matter and O'Keeffe's role as a public representative.

The charges follow a two-year investigation by members of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation.

O'Keeffe represented the constituency of Cork East for almost three decades until his retirement in 2011.

He was first arrested in connection with the investigation at his home in Mitchelstown in April 2012.

The 72-year-old met gardaí by appointment at Togher Garda Station earlier today, before being brought before Cork District Court.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of using a false instrument, namely an invoice, to claim mobile phone expenses totalling €3,737.50 between July 2002 and September 2009.

Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer accepted that his client was guilty of gross inattentiveness to matters and sloppiness, but said the criminality involved was at a very low level.

This was not some thought-out, carefully conceived plan, he said.

Mr Buttimer said he had suggested several defences to his client, but O'Keeffe was insistent it be dealt with. He said if he had done something wrong, he must own up to it.

The court was told that O'Keeffe had been greatly burdened by the matter since it came to light and that his distinguished record had been blemished.

He said he was thankful to be appearing in court to put up his plea and hopefully put the matter behind him.