Written Answers Nos. 716-731
716. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason a school (details supplied) has not paid back the deposit to persons after the school removed their children from the school after a number of weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32696/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile I am unable to give a reason why this particular childcare provider has not returned the deposit, I can confirm that following the receipt of correspondence in this office from the Deputy, a letter, dated 8th February, was issued to the service in question requesting that they return the deposit to the children's parents.
This letter was then followed up with a phone call from a Department official on 29th March and a further email from my Department on 12th April.
The rules of the ECCE programme clearly state that a service may request a deposit from parents to secure a place but that this deposit must be returned to the parents once the registration is approved on the online registration system.
Given that it appears that provider has still not returned the fee, we will again remind them of the terms of the scheme.
717. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the Garda vetting being processed by Tusla for a person (details supplied) seeking to foster. [32936/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraGarda Vetting is a key aspect of the application and approval process for prospective foster carers. HIQA have found that, in some areas, while all initial vetting of foster carers is in place, there is an issue in relation to the renewal of Garda clearance, which should take place every 3 years. HIQA has also highlighted the issue of vetting when the children of foster carers become adults (i.e. when they turn 18). Tusla are now monitoring vetting and renewal dates and are setting up databases to ensure compliance.
The vetting process itself is an operational matter for Tusla, and is carried out independently of my Department.
718. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she plans to furnish early years providers with details of the contracts her Department expects them to sign up to for the Government's more affordable childcare scheme which is due to be rolled out in September 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32947/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the grant agreements (commonly referred to as contracts) between the Department and childcare providers have been available through the Pobal website since mid-May. At that time, My Department also issued via Pobal a notice to existing providers indicating their availability.
I would note that the grant agreements reference two supplemental publications - the Programme Rules and the Financial Guidelines.
The rules of the schemes are currently being re-drafted to provide greater clarity and certainty based on feedback from the sector and from Pobal as the body overseeing compliance and administration. There are no fundamental changes to the rules of the scheme from those currently outlined and publicly available on the Department's website, entitled "DCYA Childcare Funding Programme Information and Frequently Asked Questions". It is expected that the rules will be published in their revised form in the next week or two.
The contracts also reference new Financial Guidelines which will provide further information on reporting requirements arising from the 2014 DPER Circular on the administration of grants. These guidelines will be prepared by an external body secured through a procurement process.
Services have always been required to keep adequate accounts, and to make these available to the Department on request. For 2017-18, the Department is requesting submission of these by default. It will likely be September/October when the guidelines referenced above are available. These guidelines will be a resource which will be accessible, user friendly and will include basic templates to highlight the type and level of information required.
719. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to ensure that early child care providers offer the Government's more affordable childcare scheme to parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32948/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 11th April, I made an announcement about a range of measures that will be introduced by my Department to make childcare more affordable for thousands of families throughout Ireland. This honours a key commitment in the Programme for Government.
These measures are being put in place to ensure that parents of up to 70,000 children due to benefit under the Affordable Childcare Scheme will be given the opportunity to avail of increased childcare subsidies from September. This will be achieved by significantly increasing the subsidy rates for the Community Childcare Subvention and the Training and Employment Childcare Schemes, in some instance by as much as 50%. There will also be a new universal, non-means tested childcare subsidy that will benefit parents with children aged from 6 months until they are eligible for ECCE.
While it is ultimately a matter for each individual service provider to make a decision on whether or not to enter into any contract, my Department has undertaken a coordinated online and postal information campaign targeting both childcare providers and parents with key information about the measures. My Department, along with Pobal and the City/County Childcare Committees also conducted public information “roadshows” to build awareness and encourage providers to sign up to the September measures.
In addition, I have recently announced a payment for non-contact time to services who sign up to the September measures. The payment to providers is intended to make a contribution towards the administration and non-contact costs involved in providing my Department’s childcare programmes. In particular, the new funding recognises the time providers need to spend familiarising themselves with the new affordable childcare measures, including, signing contracts, meeting regulatory and compliance requirements and assisting parents with understanding how they can most benefit from the various childcare programmes available
The measure provides for a payment equivalent to an additional seven days’ funding for services. €3.5m has been allocated for this purpose.
I am very aware that delivering these enhanced childcare supports is only possible because of the commitment and co-operation of more than 4,000 childcare providers throughout the country. I want to acknowledge their continuing support in this regard.
720. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to alleviate the amount of unpaid hours early child care providers will spend due to increased administration with the roll-out of the Government's more affordable childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32949/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise that the childcare programmes require administration. I announced in June that an additional €3.5m in "non-contact" payments is being made available to services who sign up to the September 2017 more affordable childcare measures. This non-contact time payment for the period from September 2017 recognises the additional administrative demand on childcare providers in terms of:
- Time of provider required to familiarise themselves with new Grant Agreements.
- Participation in information events, consulting with City/County Childcare Committees (CCCs), and advisors associated with the childcare provider’s business (e.g. accountants, legal).
- Attending training sessions with the CCCs / Pobal on the schemes and PIP.
- Speaking to parents about the schemes and answering their questions.
- Administrative time to, for example, sign contracts and engage with Pobal’s IT system (PIP), register children on PIP, meet statutory obligations re data holding, make changes to published fee schedules as required by Pobal.
- Following up with parents who have not provided necessary documentation.
- Verifying children’s attendance and meeting compliance obligations for all universal and targeted scheme beneficiaries.
The value of the payment will be equivalent to 7 days of the total value of registrations under CCS (including Universal CCS) and TEC programmes.
This is in addition to the payment currently available for drawdown by services on foot of Budget 2017, where I secured €14.5m towards "non-contact time". I understand that the majority of services have now been paid, an average of over €2,000 under this scheme.
I would also like to highlight that when my Department prepares for each programme cycle, we try to appropriately balance the need to account for public monies with the administrative burden this places on childcare providers. We will continue to work towards the most efficient system in this regard balanced against those key requirements.
721. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to provide parents of young children with information and details of the more affordable childcare scheme which is due to commence in September 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32950/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation, eligibility and rates of subvention are available on the website www.affordablechildcare.ie, which was set up by my Department. This website, which has received over 170,000 page views since it was launched in mid-May, also includes the contact details for their local city/county Childcare Committee which provides support to parents and providers. Parents with children already in childcare should speak to their childcare provider as well.
Following on from a coordinated online and postal information campaign targeting both childcare providers and parents with key information about the measures, my Department along with Pobal and the City/County Childcare Committees hosted public information “roadshows” to build awareness and encourage providers to sign up the September measures. Approximately 1000 service providers attended these Roadshow Events in Limerick, Mullingar, Cavan, Galway, Sligo, Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork. All the CCCs have also provided information events at the request of the DCYA and each has informed the Department of an increased number of contacts from parents regarding eligibility for the new measures.
722. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who will benefit in September 2017 from the Government's new more affordable childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32951/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 11th April, I made an announcement that this September a range of measures will be introduced by my Department to make childcare more affordable for thousands of families throughout Ireland. These include:
- A new universal subsidy will be available for all children aged between 6 months and 3 years of age (or until they are eligible for ECCE e.g. 3 years 3 months) in registered childcare. This will amount to as much as €80 a month or €1,000 per year for children in full time childcare.
- Subsidies provided under existing childcare schemes, specifically the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) and Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) Schemes will be increased significantly, in some cases by as much as 50%.
Given the considerable increase in subsidies, particularly through the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCS) taking effect from September 2017, it is difficult to provide accurate estimates around uptake of the schemes. However, we would reasonably expect the total number of beneficiaries by scheme to be as per the following table:
|
Scheme |
Expected number of beneficiaries |
|
Targeted CCS bands (current) |
24,000 |
|
Targeted CCS bands (additional) |
6,000 |
|
TEC (current) |
7,000 |
|
Universal CCS |
33,000 |
|
TOTAL |
70,000 |
This should decrease the co-payment required by families who qualify and therefore make childcare more accessible and affordable to these families.
723. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have been placed on the JobPath scheme since its inception in July 2015 and to date in 2017; the number of non-engagement cases which have arisen in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32205/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra768. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons to date who have been referred to JobPath since it commenced; the number of those who have gained full-time employment due to participation in JobPath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32911/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 723 and 768 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The service is delivered by two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua.
The JobPath service commenced operations in mid-2015 with and reached full State-wide delivery of service in July 2016 with 105,000 Jobseekers having commenced with the service by the end of June 2017. Of these, some 71,000 had started their engagement with the JobPath service by the end of 2016 with a further 34,000 customers having started their engagement with the service in the first 6 months of 2017.
Of the 105,000 customers who started with the JobPath service since its inception in July 2015, approximately 22,000 cases of customer non-engagement have arisen. Failure of a jobseeker to engage, without good cause, with the Department’s employment services can have consequences for the jobseeker’s payments. However, it is important to note that the rules and processes for the application of a reduced rate of payment are the same across all of the Department’s employment services whether they are delivered directly by the Department’s own Intreo service or through its contracted services.
The process with regards to such decisions includes written/verbal warnings and an opportunity for the jobseeker to re-engage with the services prior to the application of a reduced payment rate. Where it is decided that a penalty rate is to be applied such a decision can only be made by departmental official (not contractor’s staff).
The majority of the 22,000 customers referenced above will have subsequently re-engaged with the service and after the completion of the processes outlined, reduced payment rate has only been applied in approximately 5,000 cases.
In relation to the number of participants to find full time employment, it is important to note that jobseekers may be supported through the service for up to 30 months - under the service jobseekers have access to a personal adviser (PA) who works with them over two phases. During the first phase, of 12 months' duration, the PA provides practical assistance in searching, preparing for, securing and sustaining employment. The second phase starts if the jobseeker is successful in finding work. During this phase the PA continues to work with the jobseeker for a further period of at least three months, and up to 12 months. In addition to the two phases jobseekers may also undertake training while with the service and this may extend the period the jobseeker is supported through the service for up to a further 6 months.
It will therefore take time to accumulate a sufficient number of clients (who have completed their engagement period with the service) for complete and robust outcome data to be available. With this in mind, it is intended that an econometric evaluation of the service will commence at the end of 2017. The Department has however commenced publishing cohort reports on the performance of the service, with the most recent report, which provides details of the performance outcomes for two jobseeker cohorts - Q3 and Q4 2015, having been published on the Department’s website in May 2017. The report is available at: www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/JobPath.aspx. The next cohort performance report will be published on the Department's web site later this month.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
724. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons waiting for payment of maternity benefit, by county and region, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32064/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMaternity benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed pregnant women who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions on their own insurance record. The benefit is payable for 26 weeks at a rate of €235 per week with possible increases for adult and child dependents.
An online claim facility provides customers with a convenient and effective method of submitting a maternity benefit claim and will facilitate the speedy determination of entitlement.
Processing of maternity benefit claims is up to date and there are no claims awaiting payment where the mother has commenced her maternity leave. Claims are processed in leave commencement date order and claims with a commencement in mid-July are currently being processed.
725. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons waiting for payment of paternity benefit, by county and region, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32065/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaternity benefit is paid for 2 weeks to employed and self-employed fathers who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. The benefit is payable at a rate of €235 per week with possible increases for adult and child dependents. The purpose of the benefit is to support new fathers to take time off work within the first 26 weeks following the birth of their child.
Application for paternity benefit is available online. This is the preferred method of application and customers should be encouraged to use this option as it facilitates the speedy determination of entitlement.
Processing of paternity benefit claims is up to date and there are no claims awaiting payment.
Claims are processed in leave commencement date order and claims with a commencement towards the end of July are currently being processed.
726. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied that the current means testing for self-employed persons seeking the State pension (non-contributory) is operating to standards that are fair and equitable; if she will review the means-test condition with regard to cash income for the State pension (non-contributory) in view of the difficulty it is posing for some persons, particularly the self-employed, women and farmers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32072/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSelf-employed people pay PRSI at the class S rate of 4% and are covered for certain social insurance benefits and pensions, including the State pension (contributory). Employees and the self-employed who reach 66 years and who do not satisfy the conditions for entitlement to the State pension (contributory) are eligible to apply for the State pension (non-contributory). In addition, it may be more advantageous for people who have an underlying entitlement to a reduced weekly rate of State pension (contributory) to apply for the State pension (non-contributory) as the weekly rate of the latter pension may be higher.
The State pension (non-contributory payment) is a means tested payment and the weekly rate payable is dependent on the means of each claimant. Account is taken in the means test of the value of property (other than the family home) and capital the person may have as well as cash income such as earnings from employment or self-employment, occupational pensions, foreign social security pensions and so on.
Where a claimant for the State pension (non-contributory) is in employment, a weekly earnings disregard of €200 per week applies. This disregard was intended to facilitate non-contributory pensioners who wish to continue working, or to re-enter the workforce. A similar disregard does not apply in the case of income from self-employment including income from farming.
However, it should be noted that the means assessment for the pension in question fully allows for “any expenses necessarily incurred in carrying on any form of self-employment”. There is no exhaustive list of all expenses allowed in self-employed cases, since expenses vary with the nature and extent of the self-employment.
However, the following are the main allowable expenses in most instances, as set out in the means guidelines available on the Departmental website, www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Means-Assessment.aspx:
- Materials (supplies costs)
- Motor running costs (portion applicable to business)
- Depreciation of machinery or equipment
- Insurance relating to the business
- Telephone (portion applicable to business)
- Lighting and Heating (for business and not domestic use)
- Advertising
- Bank Charges
- Stationery
- Labour Costs
- Any other costs associated with running the business.
These arrangements apply to all self-employed claimants for the State pension (non-contributory) as well as other means tested welfare schemes. The rules applying to the State pension (non-contributory) do not prohibit individuals engaging in any form of self-employment; it is the means available from the net profit from such self-employment (after allowing expenses) which determines the rate of pension payable, if any.
It should also be noted that the first €30 per week means (from any source including self-employment) is disregarded for State pension non-contributory purposes (this amount is doubled in the case of a couple).
Furthermore, a farmer in receipt of the State Pension (non-contributory) can also benefit from the disregard that exists for certain farm payments administered by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, such as the Agri-Environment Options Scheme. The first €2,540 of this and similar payments is fully disregarded, with 50% of the remainder assessed as means.
There are currently no plans to amend the means assessment for the State Pension (non-contributory) scheme. Any such changes to the current means testing arrangements for self-employed pensioners generally would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
727. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the level of funding allocated to the reasonable accommodation fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32079/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a range of grants under the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme to assist employers in the private sector to take appropriate measures to enable a person with a disability/impairment to have access to employment. The Reasonable Accommodation Fund helps employers take appropriate measures to enable a person with a disability to have access to employment by providing the following grants and schemes: the Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant, the Personal Reader Grant, the Job Interview Interpreter Grant and the Employee Retention Grant. The Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme assists the integration of disabled people into the workplace and helps to eliminate mistaken perceptions about them.
Expenditure in 2017 on the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme is estimated at €400,000.
728. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the options available to persons who have not attained sufficient contributions towards their contributory pensions; the circumstances under which PRSI contributions can be refunded; if a mechanism is in place to provide a person with a pro rata pension based on the number of contributions made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32107/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhere a person is aged 66 or over does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for a State pension (contributory), or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, they may instead qualify for one the following:
- The means-tested State pension (non-contributory). The maximum personal rate of this pension is €227, which may be payable if their means are no more than €30 per week. If they have means of up to €252.50, a reduced rate may be payable. A living alone allowance of €9 may also be paid, where applicable. Where a couple live together, they may both receive the €227 rate (i.e. €454 between them) if they satisfy the means test.
- If a spouse receives the State pension (contributory), the other spouse may receive a payment, known as an increase for qualified adult (IQA), which may be up to €213.50 per week.
- If widowed, they may qualify for a widow's contributory pension, which they may claim either based on their spouses or their own social insurance record. The qualifying conditions for this require fewer contributions paid (260) than the State pension (contributory), and the maximum personal rate for those aged 66 or over is €238.30, i.e. the same as the maximum rate of the SPC, with allowances (notably the Living Alone Allowance) payable where applicable.
Where a person qualifies for more than one of the above payments, they are paid the pension that is most advantageous to them.
Refunds of PRSI generally arise when contributions from employers and employees have been paid in error. There are a number of reasons why a person might be paying the wrong PRSI rate, the most common of which is where an employee over 66 continues working and pays PRSI, where there is no requirement to do so.
Another case is contributors, who enter insurable employment, either as employees or self- employed, after they have attained the age of 56. If they have no entitlement to a State Pension (Contributory or Non Contributory) then the pension element of the contributions paid by both employed and self-employed contributors may be refunded.
Since 1961, when contributory pensions were introduced, the average contributions test has been used in calculating the rate of pension entitlement. Entitlement is banded, with the maximum rate payable to those with a yearly average of 48-52 contributions, and the minimum rate payable to those with a yearly average in the range of 10-14 contributions per year.
The National Pensions Framework (2010) proposed that a “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA) should replace the yearly average approach for new pensioners from 2020. The aim of this approach is to make the rate of contributory pension more closely match contributions made by a person. Officials of my Department are currently working on the detailed development of the TCA with a view to making proposals for consideration later in the year. This is a very significant reform with considerable legal, administrative, and technical elements in its implementation. An important element in the final design of the scheme will be the position of people who have gaps in their contribution records for various reasons, and this factor is being considered very carefully in developing this reform.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
729. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32120/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 31st May 2017. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 8th June 2017 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
730. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of restoring the bereavement grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32123/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recent Budgets my Department has protected primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided a significant annual saving and allowed my Department to protect other core social welfare payments such as the State pension.
The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716, and this represented an increase of approximately 4% on 2012. Based on a similar yearly increase each year since 2013, it is estimated that the number of bereavement grant claims that might arise in 2018, were the scheme to be re-introduced, would be in the region of 28,858, and this number would likely increase in future years. If there were 28,858 such grants made in 2018, at a rate of €850 each, the cost would be €24.53 million.
Any decision to reinstate the Bereavement Grant would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
It’s worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the grant. These include weekly paid widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €6,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death. In Budget 2016, the Government increased the payment after death period to 12 weeks for carer’s allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Additionally, the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Under the SWA scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. The Government has provided €31.5 million for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2017.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
731. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to bring in new measures to tackle social welfare fraud; the nature of these measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32126/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset, it is important to say that the majority of people in receipt of a payment from my Department receive what they are entitled to. Nevertheless, my Department recognises that abuse of the welfare system is an ongoing reality and must be tackled. Control and anti-fraud measures are set out in the Department’s Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 and are designed to prevent, deter and detect fraud and to ensure effective oversight of schemes and recovery of any sums overpaid. The annual control implementation report 2016 and target statement for 2017 is published on the Department’s website – www.welfare.ie.
My Department plans to carry out 950,000 entitlement reviews, inspections and investigations over the course of 2017. The objective is to ensure that each claimant is receiving their full entitlements and that any wrongful claiming is identified. The Deputy will be aware that this work identified some €41 million in fraud overpayments in 2016.
Work will also continue on a number of measures to prevent fraud from entering the social welfare system. The continued roll-out of the Public Services Card has considerably reduced the potential for identity fraud. The use of data analytics software and techniques, improved data-matching capacity and data-sharing arrangements, both internally and with the Revenue Commissioners and with other state agencies, has greatly improved early detection of earnings from sources not reported by claimants to the Department.
A new debt management system became operational at the end of 2014 and has supported the roll-out of improved debt management capacity and the recovery of overpayments. Staff who are engaged in claim reviews and investigations receive training to identify instances of fraudulent claiming. Overall, my Department continues to improve its technical ability to identify risks, to ensure cross-referencing of information held in respect of claimants, to reinforce its fraud prevention work and to use the statutory powers granted to it by the Oireachtas.
Members of the public also play an important role in supporting anti-fraud activities. In the first six months of this year, the Department has received some 11,000 reports from concerned members of the public. The recent fraud awareness campaign has helped to highlight the positive role that members of the public can play in supporting the Department to protect the social welfare system. Since the launch of the campaign on 18 April, the recorded number of reports received has exceeded 6,000 compared to approx. 4,200 for a similar period in 2016.
This year, the Department also expects to finalise fraud and error surveys for the Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Carers’ Allowance and Back to Work Enterprise Allowance schemes and to commence survey work on the State Pension Non-contributory scheme.
Finally, the Deputy will be aware that the recently published Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017 includes legislative proposals to publish the names of persons who are convicted of social welfare fraud.
Overall, therefore, my Department adopts a range of measures to deter, detect and prevent fraud and these are kept under ongoing review, in light of changing behaviours and patterns.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
