Brendan Griffin
Ceist:518. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on persons returning to work (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24954/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 22 September 2020
Ceisteanna (518)
Freagraí scríofa
All social welfare schemes are subject to control and compliance checks in order to ensure that the Exchequer resources provided for those schemes are protected. The pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) scheme is subject to conditionality, in particular that a person must have lost their employment due to the pandemic and are now fully unemployed.
Where payments of any social welfare scheme may have been incorrectly paid, each individual case is examined and the Department then decides on a relevant course of action, up to and including prosecution, if so warranted.
My Department's Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2019 - 2024 aims to combat social welfare fraud and abuse. It is designed to ensure a targeted response to high risk sectors and to ensure an integrated approach to the prevention, deterrence and detection of social welfare abuse across the Department’s services and schemes.
The emphasis of my Department’s control activities is on direct intervention and engagement. High visibility operations by my Department's Special Investigation Unit are regularly and systematically undertaken.
In the context of self-employed trades people who may be engaged in social welfare fraud, whether related to the PUP or other welfare payments, specific activities being undertaken in the context of our overall anti-fraud strategy include:
- The active policing of the hidden economy sector where there is a prevalence of social welfare and abuse. Investigations are undertaken through Joint Investigation Units with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners;
- Where intelligence or reliable reports are received about persons engaged in concurrent working and claiming or under declaration of income, reviews of eligibility are undertaken;
- Site visits and employer inspections are systematically conducted to detect incidences of social welfare fraud. These visits and inspections are undertaken in those sectors where the risk of fraud is most prevalent; and
- Multi-agency checkpoints are undertaken with the Garda Traffic Unit and Revenue. Persons driving commercially taxed vehicles are interviewed as part of these projects.
I would also encourage anyone with knowledge of specific instances of suspected fraudulent claiming to report them to the Department using the confidential reporting facility at https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/secure/ReportFraud.aspx, or on (01) 6734545. This facility allows members of the public to report suspected fraud, including suspected cases of working while claiming social welfare benefits. Cases reported here will be examined and investigated appropriately.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.