Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 4

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

471 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will confirm that the post of investigation officer at an employment exchange (details supplied) in Dublin 11 was vacant for over 12 months immediately following the promotion of the previous officer who uncovered alleged fraud of over £3 million involving thousands of claimants who were alleged to have used incorrect addresses; the reason, if any, he has to suspect the involvement of paramilitary or other criminal elements in the alleged fraud; whether the Garda were called in to deal with the alleged offences uncovered; if he refused to sanction the filling of the vacant post until recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1474/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

As I stated in a previous reply to the Deputy on this matter — Question No. 291 of 17 December 1996 — the deployment of staff resources at local level within my Department is a matter for the management of the Department and I do not involve myself in the timing of the filling of particular vacancies.

I would like to state, however, that the post in question was not vacant for as long as the Deputy suggests and that during the period it was vacant, of less than six months, the work was covered by other officers in the region following normal practice.

There is no record of the involvement of paramilitary or widespread criminal activity having been identified as a result of the officer's control activities in the area in question. My Department has good working relationships with the Garda and it is participating actively in the working of the Criminal Assets Bureau which was established last year.

If the Deputy has relevant information regarding paramilitary involvement in fraud I would welcome it being supplied to the Department or to the Criminal Assets Bureau or the Garda.