Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 December 2013
100. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to deal with social welfare fraud; the amount that has been recovered; if targets have been met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53472/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to a zero tolerance approach towards social welfare fraud and the Department’s Fraud Initiative further articulates this overarching policy objective. A key priority is to ensure that social welfare payments are paid to those who are entitled to them and that fraudulent activity is vigorously prevented and combatted.
Over the past number of years, fraud detection and control systems have been refined and enhanced and are subject to on-going review. A range of measures are employed by the Department to ensure that social welfare fraud and abuse is minimised and that its control activity is appropriately focused. The approach taken by the Department to combat fraud is frequently reviewed and is regularly adjusted to ensure it is proportionate and is targeted on the areas of greatest risk. Actual money recovered arises where the Department raises overpayments in individual cases. Overpayments raised by the Department are categorised as ‘fraud’, ‘non-fraud’ or ‘estate’ cases. Fraud cases arise mainly on foot of false declarations by customers concerning their employment, income and family status. Non-fraud cases are primarily due to customer or third party error, with some due to Departmental error. Estate cases arise where undisclosed means by customers come to light after their deaths.
In 2012, a total of €97m was raised in overpayments and of this amount, €40.9m was recorded as attributable to fraud or suspected fraud. In 2012, a total of €53.3m was recovered. In addition, the Department’s control work is measured in terms of control savings which are used as a performance indicator for year-on-year activities. Without this control work, social welfare expenditure would over time increase by this amount. Control savings do not include any cases of departmental or clerical error or any cases where the customer voluntarily told the Department of their altered means or circumstances, which resulted in a change to their rate of payment. My Department recorded control savings of €669m in 2012. In excess of €525m was recorded in respect of control savings from January to end of October 2013.
