Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 5

Written Answers - Social Welfare Fraud.

Michael D. Higgins

Ceist:

11 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the further measures, if any, he will introduce to reduce the level of fraud and suspected fraud within both the social insurance and social assistance systems, particularly in view of the recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16493/97]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The Deputy is, no doubt, aware that in referring to fraud and suspected fraud of the welfare system the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General also sets out the main anti-fraud measures in operation by my Department.

There is an active ongoing control programme in all areas of the social welfare system and specialist control staff are deployed, in addition to staff carrying out routine reviews, at head office and local office level. In addition, the Department has introduced a more formalised overpayment recovery procedure and prosecutions are considered in all serious cases of welfare fraud.

The control programme is carefully monitored and the various measures are continuously refined to ensure that they remain effective. New approaches and measures are identified and adopted on an ongoing basis.

Central to future developments will be the use of information technology to target clients for review more effectively and to monitor their continued entitlement. Better co-operation and exchange of information with other Departments and State bodies is being progressed actively.

A review is also planned of the current legislative provisions in relation to offences and penalties together with a review of the powers of the Department's inspectors to ensure that they cover new payment methods and work/employment practices adequately. In addition, procedures have been introduced which aim to improve the level of recovery of overpayments. These will be developed further and intensified over the coming months.

John Browne

Ceist:

12 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to treat 18 year olds as independent people in relation to unemployment assistance, summer employment scheme and so on in view of the fact that 18 year olds are allowed to vote independently of their parents. [16425/97]

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

28 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some young people must leave the family home in order to qualify for unemployment assistance; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that having left home they then qualify for the maximum rate of unemployment assistance and also rent allowances; and the proposals, if any, he has for a policy change to enable at least a minimum payment to all unemployed young people living with their parents. [16411/97]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 28 together.

Unemployment assistance is a means-tested payment which is paid to unemployed people between the ages of 18 and 66 who are not entitled to insurance-based unemployment benefit. Payments are means-tested to ensure that the limited resources available are directed at those most in need. In assessing a person's means for unemployment assistance purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person may have, together with the value of any capital or property. In addition, the value of any benefit or privilege enjoyed by an applicant, such as the benefit of board and lodging in the family home, is assessed.

The students' summer jobs scheme provides income support for less well off third level students who are unable to obtain work during the summer months and are disqualified from claiming unemployment assistance. Entitlement to the scheme is dependent on the students satisfying a means test similar to that which applies in the case of unemployment assistance.

The assessment of free board and lodging has been a feature of the unemployment assistance scheme since its inception. Its purpose is to achieve a degree of equity between applicants in different family circumstances, for example, between applicants whose parents are employed and those who are dependent on social welfare payments. Otherwise, people living in affluent circumstances would become entitled to the same level of assistance as those whose with limited means or no means at all.

However, a number of improvements have been made over recent years in the assessment of the benefit of board and lodging. For instance, in 1991 provision was made for the introduction of a minimum payment of £5 for claimants whose only means were assessed from board and lodging. This minimum payment has been progressively increased to £25.

The cost of abolishing the assessment of the benefit of board and lodging for unemployment assistance purposes is estimated to be in the region of £20 million in a full year. The question of making any further improvements in this area would have to be considered in a budgetary context.