Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2004
336 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the procedures in place in her Department to investigate persons in receipt of social welfare and income from illegal drug dealing; the process by which such persons may be reported by concerned members of the community in the north city areas of Dublin 1 and 3; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20834/04]
View answerRecognising the adverse impact that abuse of the social welfare system can have, my Department has a broad-ranging and comprehensive control strategy which aims to keep fraud and abuse to an absolute minimum. This includes checks at point of claiming, verification that the conditions for entitlement continue to be met, review of means for those in receipt of a non-contributory social assistance payment, arrangements for debt recovery and prosecution of offenders.
Furthermore, the Criminal Assets Bureau, which was set up under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, has been operating since October 1996 and comprises of members of the Garda and the Revenue Commissioners and officials of my own Department. Section 5 of the 1996 Act, which deals with the function of the bureau, empowers bureau officers to investigate and determine as appropriate under the Social Welfare Acts any claim in respect of benefit, within the meaning of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 1993, by any person engaged in criminal activity. The bureau has already recorded considerable success in this regard.
In line with my Department's control strategy, the Department's control division accepts details of possible fraud offered by members of the public in relation to my Department's schemes. Such information may be conveyed by way of written complaint, telephone, e-mail or personal representation. Such reports can also be made to any of my Department's offices and persons reporting such abuses who wish to remain anonymous are facilitated in this regard.
