Vol. 503 No. 4
158 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the new powers given to social welfare inspectors in the Social Welfare Bill; the feedback to date on the Garda and social welfare road checks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10395/99]
The Social Welfare Act, 1999, contains two significant provisions in relation to the work of social welfare inspectors.
The first provision relates to the powers of inspectors in regard to inspections of employer records. It amplifies existing powers and provides that an inspector may, during the course of investigation, remove from an employer's premises, or secure for later inspection any documents or records. It also requires an employer to provide reasonable explanations of any facts in relation to the contents of any such documents produced for examination by an inspector.
The second provision concerns powers appropriate to the participation by inspectors in multi-agency vehicle checkpoints. In essence, provision has been made whereby an inspector, when accompanied by a member of the Garda Síochána, may stop any vehicle which is suspected of being used in the course of employment or self-employment and question the occupants in relation to that matter.
This latter provision was included in this year's legislation in order to have a specific reference to a type of activity which had already been piloted in the context of multi-agency vehicle checkpoints carried out over the previous year or so. Participation in checkpoints by my Department's inspectors, at the invitation of the Garda Síochána, was carried out under the general powers of inspectors but it was considered that, as the pilot exercises were proving useful and, therefore, likely to continue in a on-going programme of controls, a special provision should be made in respect of them.
