Mr. John McKeon:

We can make sure names and conviction details are no longer accessible on our website. However, once they have been published, there is nothing to stop anybody from printing the information. The same is true today of court reports in newspapers. We are responsible for ensuring the list is not available on the consolidated version of our website and we will certainly do so.

On the purpose of the fraud campaign, publication of details and so on, as I said, there are a number of audiences for these initiatives. As officials, we regularly hear that we do not do enough to combat fraud. I was born and raised in the north inner city of Dublin where I have a lot of family connections. I visit the area a couple of times a week to see family and friends. The thing I hear most frequently is that we are not doing enough to combat fraud. There is a responsibility on the Department to show evidence of form, but, as I said, we have to be careful in how we do this. The audience includes not only those in receipt of social welfare payments; it also includes others who are contributing to the social welfare system and looking for reassurance that the Department is doing something to combat fraud. As I said, at meetings of the Committee of Public Accounts officials are regularly grilled on statements received from the Comptroller and Auditor General. They are asked what they are doing about fraud and told that people do not see enough, that they are not out there enough, that they do not have enough inspectors and that they do not get the message out about the consequences of fraud. It needs to be recognised that it is about striking a balance.