Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
716. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who engaged in welfare fraud across all categories of social welfare payments for the years 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [36551/23]
View answerThe majority of people in receipt of a payment from my Department receive what they are entitled to. Nevertheless, my Department recognises that abuse of the welfare system is an on-going reality and must be tackled proactively. The Department’s anti-fraud and control measures are designed to prevent and detect fraud, ensure effective oversight of schemes, pursue the prosecution of offenders where appropriate and recover any overpaid entitlements identified.
Overpayments of social welfare assistance and benefit payments arise as a consequence of decisions made under the relevant sections of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended). Customers who have been overpaid social welfare have a liability to refund the overpayment as they have been in receipt of a payment to which they were not entitled.
The table below sets out the number of overpayments raised and the associated value of those cases where an element of fraudulent activity was suspected for the years 2021 and 2022.
|
Year |
No. of Cases |
Value |
|
2021 |
6,290 |
€19,014,828 |
|
2022 |
5,597 |
€19,635,546 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
