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Social Welfare Fraud

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Questions (314, 331)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

314. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection the savings that have been made within her Department for combating social welfare fraud; the proposals in place for combating social welfare fraud; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20125/13]

View answer

Terence Flanagan

Question:

331. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is on course to target benefit fraud in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20342/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 and 331 together.

My Department recorded control savings of €669 million in 2012. The savings target for 2013 is €710 million, an increase of over €40m on 2012.

Control savings are used as a performance indicator for year-on-year activities and are an estimate of the value of the various control activities across the schemes in payment. It is important to remember that control savings are not actual monies recovered by the Department but are a good indication of the increase in social welfare expenditure that would occur without these activities taking place. Without this control work, social welfare expenditure would over time increase by this amount. These activities also have a deterrent or knock-on effect, which are not readily quantifiable in monetary terms.

Controls are exercised at both the initial claim stage and at subsequent stages during the claim life cycle. Claims are reviewed on a regular and targeted basis. Means-tested payments are reviewed at certain intervals or when there are indications that changes in circumstances have not been reported to the Department. Those in receipt of illness payments are called for a medical examination by the Department's medical assessors. Customers in receipt of unemployment payments are checked on a regular basis to verify continued compliance with such requirements as being available for and genuinely seeking employment.

Current measures to control fraud and abuse also include desk reviews of claim papers, home visits, the issue of mail-shots to selected customers, database checking and data matching with other organisations.

In addition, the Department’s Special Investigation Unit focuses on planned and systematic control activity and projects. The concentration is on those schemes and sectors where the incidence of social welfare fraud is most pronounced. It works in conjunction with other agencies to tackle social welfare fraud and abuse.

Furthermore INTREO, the integrated employment and support service currently being rolled out across the Department’s local office network, comprehensively seeks to activate and review customers, where up to now three separate agencies had this role. Arising from this, a more integrated approach to fraud control can now be realised.

The roll out of the Public Service Card is also well under way. From the Department’s perspective, the PSC gives significant assurance as to the identity of the cardholder as it is a secure card and will considerably reduce the potential for forgery.

I fully expect that my Department will achieve the 2013 control targets.

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