Peadar Clohessy
Ceist:40 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of prosecutions for social welfare fraud detected under the recent social welfare amnesty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13054/96]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Amnesty.
The social welfare amnesty, announced in June 1993, was designed to give social welfare customers including recipients of payments and those liable for PRSI contributions, whose affairs were not in order, an opportunity to regularise their positions. The amnesty ended on 14 January 1994.
A total of 596 persons who had received payments to which they were not entitled, were granted the social welfare amnesty. The total amount of savings assessed from the termination of claims and the determination of over-payments amounted to £2.3 million.
The collection of PRSI and the imposition of penalties in respect of arrears is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. Persons who availed of the general tax amnesty were required to pay their PRSI liability with other taxes to the Revenue Commissioners. Some £5 million PRSI was collected in this manner.
The incentive tax amnesty operated by Revenue did not cover PRSI, but arrangements were made for 2,399 persons who availed of the amnesty to pay their PRSI liability in full direct to my Department. The total received to date is almost £1.3 million.