A Dublin father of six who told gardaí he was drug dealing to support his family after losing his job as a dump truck driver has been jailed for seven years.

Paul Molloy (41) of St Attracta Road in Cabra pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having €34,752 - almost 5.8 kilogrammes - of cannabis resin for sale or supply at his mother's Cabra home on September 6th 2013.

Garda Emmett Brannigan agreed with Bernard Condon SC, defending, that when asked by gardaí in interview if he had any assets, Molloy replied "F?!k all, too many kids."

He admitted he had the cannabis resin for selling to support his family, and said he was not a drug user himself.

Molloy was also caught in 2007 with €12,000 worth of cocaine. He claimed he was selling those drugs having lost his job with the downturn in the construction industry. He was jailed for three years in November 2008 for the offence.

Garda Brannigan told Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL, prosecuting, that Molloy's mother's home was searched following a garda tip off and the cannabis resin was found in a box in a locked shed.

Lost his job due to downturn

Gardaí immediately suspected Molloy and arrived at his home to arrest him. He returned to his mother's home, identified the drugs and took full responsibility for them.

He accepted he was a drug dealer telling gardaí in interview.

Mr Condon told Judge-Mary Ellen Ring that Molloy has five children, ranging in age from 4 to 18 years, with his partner of 20 years and an older child from a previous relationship.

He said he had worked as a dump truck driver for sometimes up to 70 hours per week - but lost that job with the downturn in the economy.

A letter from his partner described him as a good support to her and "a good Dad".

Judge Ring said it seemed that something is starting to change again in the construction industry but remarked it is "too late" for Molloy.

"Many fellow construction workers had to leave this country or remain here and struggle on a day to day basis but they don't resort to dealing drugs," the judge said.

Judge Ring refused to suspend any of the sentence and commented that Molloy, having spent three years in custody in 2008 for drug dealing, "was back in the same position in 2013".