Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A key priority for Government is to ensure that fraudulent activity within the social welfare system is vigorously prevented and combatted. A key element of this is the active policing of the black economy sector where there is a prevalence of social welfare fraud and tax non-compliance.

A range of specific activities are being undertaken to ensure that the black economy is appropriately targeted. These include:

- Interagency co-operation : In conjunction with other agencies and, in particular, with Revenue, the Department tackles shadow economy working by a combination of joint intelligence collation, assurance checks and outdoor operations, including inspections and direct investigations.

- High Level DSP/Revenue co-operation: The Department liaises bilaterally with Revenue through a High Level Group consisting of senior officials from both organisations. This mechanism ensures on-going collaboration and interaction between the organisations, including oversight of activities designed to combat the black economy.

- Operational Co-operation with Revenue: In conjunction with Revenue, the Department undertakes site visits and inspections in the construction sector through assurance checks and outdoor operations, including inspections and direct investigations. Joint Investigation Units have been established between the Department and Revenue and these units play a key role in targeting particular types of shadow economy activity and workers in the employed sectors, including construction.

- Working with Business and Unions: The Department participates on the Hidden Economy Monitoring Group with Revenue, employer and union representative bodies. This Group provides a formal structure to monitor developments, share experiences and make proposals for combating the hidden economy.

- Direct Investigations and Interventions: Where intelligence or reliable reports are received about specific sectors or persons engaged in concurrent working and claiming or under declaration of income, then reviews of eligibility are immediately undertaken. Case interventions are undertaken based on assessments of compliance risks and other relevant information.

In addition, the Deputy should note that the Department has extensive legal powers to support the sharing of data for the purpose of controlling the entitlement and payment of benefits. Data is exchanged on an on-going basis with agencies and, in particular, with Revenue to support its activities in combating shadow economy activity. The approach taken by the Department is frequently reviewed and is regularly adjusted to concentrate on the areas of greatest risk, based on its operational experience and credible information received from industry and business sectors.