Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 October 2004
254 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of prosecutions taken by his Department in 2002 and 2003 concerning suspected fraud; the number involved in each of the respective schemes; the outcome of such cases; the number of cases pending or being heard at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26408/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraProsecutions are taken by my Department against persons who defraud social welfare payments schemes and also against employers who fail to honour their obligations under the PRSI system. Civil proceedings are also taken for the recovery of overpayments of moneys improperly claimed and against persons liable to maintain benefit recipients and their children. At the end of September 2004, some 800 cases were with the Chief State Solicitor's office for prosecution. Some of these are awaiting a first court hearing. Others have already had at least one court hearing and have been adjourned for various reasons, such as to allow the defendants to seek legal aid or to monitor the recovery of the overpayments involved.
Statistics relating to the period referred to in the question are contained in the following tables:.
|
Scheme |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
Unemployment Assistance |
91 |
146 |
151 |
|
Unemployment Benefit |
61 |
158 |
168 |
|
Disability Benefit |
18 |
29 |
9 |
|
Disability Allowance |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
8 |
1 |
16 |
|
Widow’s Pension |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Carers Allowance |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Sub-total |
180 |
341 |
351 |
|
Employer |
25 |
14 |
15 |
|
CIVIL Schemes |
11 |
20 |
9 |
|
Maintenance Recovery |
29 |
29 |
7 |
|
Employer |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Sub-total |
40 |
50 |
17 |
|
TOTALS |
245 |
405 |
383 |
|
Scheme |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
Unemployment Assistance (UA) |
105 |
92 |
88 |
|
Unemployment Benefit (UB) |
36 |
73 |
72 |
|
Disability Benefit (DB) |
11 |
13 |
17 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) |
5 |
2 |
0 |
|
Employers (ER) |
7 |
24 |
12 |
|
Other |
4 |
14 |
12 |
|
TOTALS |
168 |
218 |
201 |
|
Result |
UA |
UB |
DB |
OFP |
Other |
ER |
Total |
|
Fined |
46 |
20 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
78 |
|
Community Service |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Imprisoned |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
|
Suspended Sentence |
23 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
28 |
|
Probation Act |
19 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
32 |
|
Struck Out |
5 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
|
Dismissed |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bound to the Peace |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Liberty to re-enter |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Court Order Granted |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
TOTAL |
105 |
36 |
11 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
168 |
|
Result |
UA |
UB |
DB |
OFP |
Other |
ER |
Total |
|
Fined |
50 |
34 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
16 |
109 |
|
Community Service |
6 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
|
Imprisoned |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
|
Suspended Sentence |
7 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
17 |
|
Probation Act |
9 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
27 |
|
Struck Out |
10 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
22 |
|
Dismissed |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
Bound to the Peace |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Liberty to re-enter |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Debt Paid |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Decree Obtained |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
District Court Order |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
|
TOTAL |
92 |
73 |
13 |
2 |
14 |
24 |
218 |
|
Result |
UA |
UB |
DB |
Other |
ER |
Total |
|
Fined |
42 |
44 |
10 |
1 |
11 |
108 |
|
Community Service |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Imprisoned |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
Suspended Sentence |
5 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
|
Probation Act |
16 |
12 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
33 |
|
Struck Out |
6 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
14 |
|
Dismissed |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bound to the Peace |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Liberty to re-enter |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
District Court Order |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
|
TOTAL |
88 |
72 |
17 |
12 |
12 |
201 |
