Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

It also had a strong deterrent effect because people knew they would be caught. They were caught and stopped. The increased controls were a success.

Recently photo identification has been asked of those who are collecting to ensure the right person is getting the payment. Social welfare inspectors are working in the Garda National Immigration Bureau in the airports to check people coming through. Those measures are over and above the regular reviews of control and fraud. It is crucial we continue to make savings in this area. We have set ourselves a target of more than €580 million in savings to ensure we clamp down on fraudulent claims. There are 600 staff in the Department working on control activities at local, regional and national levels. Each of them, within their field of responsibility, is doing important work and criminal prosecutions are carried out. By the end of last year 357 cases of social welfare fraud were forwarded to the Chief State Solicitor's office. A further 328 cases were finalised in court last year.

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