Vol. 406 No. 7
158 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of social welfare fraud detected in the Limerick area, city and county, for the years 1988, 1989 and 1990 in respect of (a) unemployment benefit (b) unemployment assistance (c) deserted wife's benefit and (d) unmarried mother's allowance; and the number of prosecutions obtained.
My Department employ a number of systems to counteract fraud, abuse of the social welfare system and unwarranted claiming. These are known as the special investigation unit, the joint investigation unit, the external control unit and the fraud control unit in the widows and social assistance allowance section in Sligo. These units operate on a nationwide basis in order to ensure the continued compliance of claimants with the conditions governing eligibility for payment in accordance with social welfare legislation.
|
Year |
Number of Cases |
Amount of Overpayment |
Number of Prosecutions (Finalised) |
|
|
(a) Unemployment Benefit |
1988 |
45 |
£27,559.18 |
4 |
|
1989 |
59 |
£46,091.03 |
5 |
|
|
1990 |
140 |
£86,472.96 |
— |
|
|
(b) Unemployment Assistance |
1988 |
90 |
£146,230.42 |
6 |
|
1989 |
87 |
£180,769.53 |
9 |
|
|
1990 |
56 |
£133,659.25 |
3 |
|
|
(c) Deserted Wives Benefit |
1988 |
— |
— |
— |
|
1989 |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
1990 |
3 |
£19,998 |
— |
|
|
(d) Unmarried Mothers |
1988 |
15 |
£16,402 |
— |
|
Allowance |
1989 |
14 |
£38,774 |
— |
|
1990 |
16 |
£91,584 |
— |
