Vol. 472 No. 3
237 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the progress, if any, made in the development of a system for measuring the actual extent of social welfare fraud as promised to a meeting of the Social Affairs Committee in September 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23355/96]
238 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he received the recent report of the Finance and General Affairs Committee suggesting that the anti-fraud measures introduced by his Department be independently monitored on an ongoing basis and reported twice yearly to a relevant committee of Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23356/96]
I proposed to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together. As I have indicated previously I plan to have a detailed examination carried out with consultancy assistance to get more information on the level of social welfare abuse and on the effectiveness of the measures which my Department has in place to control such abuse. This will enable my Department to deal more effectively with this problem. The terms of reference will be drawn up in the light of the experience gained from the current programme of measures which is under way. As I stated in the Dáil on 27 November 1996, the report of the Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs has been brought to my attention. Arrangements are in place to monitor the various anti-fraud measures that I introduced and a detailed monthly report is prepared for Government. I am satisfied these arrangements are adequate and I intend to keep the matter under review. I answer Parliamentary Questions on the matter regularly and appear before the Social Affairs Committee regularly.
