Vol. 456 No. 4
18 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of cases of social welfare fraud that have come to light in the last year; the total amount of money involved; and the number of full-time staff equivalents involved in audit procedures nationwide. [13972/95]
The total value of overpayments attributed to fraud or suspected fraud in 1994, the last year for which figures are available, is £11.46 million. This figure comprises 11,040 individual overpayments. This compares with gross expenditure of £3.8 billion and almost £50 million weekly and monthly payments.
The detection and prevention of fraud and abuse of social welfare expenditure is an integral feature of the work of the Department and of practically all its officials, particularly those involved with the processing and maintenance of claims for payment. The Department also has a programme of ongoing specialist control activities under way as part of its drive against fraud, abuse and unwarranted recourse to social welfare. There are some 580 staff working specifically on these specific control activities. Some 290 of these are fulltime while the remainder also work parttime on the processing of fresh claims for entitlements which also has a control element. The staff include a fulltime internal audit section headed by a professional accountant.
