Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Oct 2002

Vol. 556 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Fraud.

John Perry

Question:

49 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps she is taking to eliminate social welfare fraud; and the main steps taken since she has taken office, to improve the detection of social welfare fraud. [19533/02]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

My Department has a comprehensive control programme which includes checks and reviews carried out on a regular and targeted basis to ensure that social welfare payments are only received by those who are entitled to them and that employers and the self-employed are fulfilling their PRSI obligations. Over the years, the reorganisation of my Department's structures and ongoing technology developments have combined to facilitate a more co-ordinated, more focused and more effective approach to control.

There are more than 600 staff working full-time or part-time on fraud and abuse control activities, including specific investigation units which work at local, regional and national levels within the Department. These units, one of which works in conjunction with Revenue staff, carry out inspections of employers in relation to their PRSI obligations, investigate cases of concurrent working while claiming social welfare payments, review customers' means for assistance payments and monitor their ongoing entitlements to social welfare payments.

My Department's medical assessors medically examine recipients of illness payments to ensure they fulfil the medical conditions for the receipt of these payments.

As a result of control activities carried out by these staff, savings amounting to €269 million were achieved in 2001 and a further €211 million has been saved during the first nine months of 2002. In addition, my Department has introduced a new over payment recovery procedure. Prosecutions are considered in all serious cases of social welfare fraud.

The control programme is carefully monitored and the various measures are continuously refined to ensure that they remain effective. I am pleased to report that since taking up office, my Department has completed a comprehensive analysis of existing control strategies. Arising from this, the following are in the course of completion: a revised control strategy for the Department with specific strategies for each scheme; a risk analysis of schemes in relation to fraud and error; a value for money study of control procedures and processes, being carried out with the Comptroller and Auditor General; development of an enhanced debt management and recovery process; enhanced structures and reporting mechanisms in relation to supplementary welfare payments, being carried out in conjunction with the health boards; specialised identity verification training for staff at local level.

I am committed to ensuring that social welfare payments are available to those who are entitled to them and that they are delivered in an effective and efficient way. I am also determined to ensure that abuse of the system is prevented and is dealt with effectively when detected and I will take whatever steps are necessary to achieve this.