asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied that all reasonable measures are being taken by his Department to establish whether there are abuses of the welfare system; and if he will make a statement in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Welfare System Abuses.
2.
I am satisfied that all reasonable measures are being taken by my Department in the matter of the detection of abuses of the social welfare system. These measures include the operations of officers whose responsibility it is to ensure that the requirements of the Social Welfare Acts are complied with in the matter of the payment of social insurance contributions and the receipt of benefit. Outdoor officers of the Department are also responsible for the investigation of the means of applicants where such a qualification must be satisfied, thereby ensuring that not only those qualified receive their due entitlement but also that those not satisfying the prescribed conditions do not incorrectly receive payments. These officers also pursue inquiries into cases of suspected fraud and other irregularities in relation to the claiming and receipt of social welfare payments generally. I may add that to make these measures more effective and to provide greater deterrents very substantially increased penalties for abuses of the social welfare system were provided for in the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1976, which was enacted in July last.
Is a departmental inquiry being conducted into the question of social welfare abuses?
It is not a question of a departmental inquiry. There is constant attention being paid to this aspect of the social welfare system.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary answer the question: is there a full scale inquiry being conducted by the Department into the question of social welfare abuses or is it a continuing function of the Department?
It is a continuing operation in the Department.
So there is not a special inquiry being conducted into the suggestion that there are social welfare abuses?
The implication of a special inquiry would be that we neglected this previously. We did not neglect it; this is a continuing process.
I understood that a year ago the Parliamentary Secretary said he would be making such a specific inquiry into the question of social welfare abuses.
I cannot recall a statement of that kind. I have always adopted the view that any abuse of the social welfare code is a serious matter and one that should be constantly the subject of scrutiny by officers of my Department.
Arising out of the reference by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1976, could he tell the House if there have been any prosecutions arising from that legislation and how many?
That seems to be a separate question.
It refers to information given by the Parliamentary Secretary.
As the Deputy is aware, the Act came into operation in July last and most of these cases come to light some time after the alleged crimes have taken place. The question of prosecution is not a matter for the Department. The Department furnish the available information of alleged abuses to the appropriate authority, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and it is a matter for him whether or not to instigate proceedings.
If some abuses are found and it is discovered that the people concerned are not drawing the benefits at present, will the Parliamentary Secretary deal lightly with them, because a lot of benefits were drawn as a result of the action of over-enthusiastic politicians who told people they were entitled to something they were not entitled to? They did so in order to make themselves popular and give the impression that everybody could draw social welfare.
What about the fact that quite a number of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses who were appointed by Fianna Fáil told the people they would not get their payments if they did not vote Fianna Fáil?
This is quite irrelevant.
It was enthusiastic supporters of the Government who went around my side of the country and told the people they were entitled to draw social welfare. They even showed them how to fill the forms.
We all know what Clare is like. The Deputy should come up with another one some other day.
Over the last three and a half years the Department have engaged in an advertising campaign at considerable expense informing people as to what their entitlements are under the social welfare code. There has been a considerable improvement in the booklet available to prospective recipients setting out their entitlements. With regard to over-enthusiastic politicians, I do not think there has been much enthusiasm on the Deputy's side regarding social welfare during that period.
Could I have an answer to the question I asked? Will the Parliamentary Secretary treat lightly people who have been caught out as a result of being misinformed by enthusiastic politicians?