Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action he is taking to combat cross-Border social welfare fraud; the number of people being investigated; the number of people who have been prosecuted to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32585/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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A memorandum of understanding between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland concerning co-operation and mutual assistance in the administration of social security schemes was signed on 9 October 2000. The memorandum provides for the establishment of a management committee, which meets several times a year and oversees and directs the programme of mutual co-operation and assistance. The operations forum directed by the committee meets once per quarter to co-operate and assist in facilitating the investigation of social security benefit fraud with a cross-Border dimension. It undertakes individual fraud investigations and larger projects. It is also committed to sharing best practice in counter fraud operations.

The report of the operations forum for the year ended March 2007 states that six projects undertaken in that year resulted in seven prosecutions and a further 15 cases being considered for prosecution. Under the memorandum of understanding, considerable benefit has been derived by my Department in preventing cross-Border fraud. Procedures are in place to deal with ongoing referrals, fraud and non-fraud through a single point of contact in each jurisdiction. Referrals are made for a variety of reasons, for example, to establish whether there is an existing claim in payment in either jurisdiction, to establish contribution details for a pension or to ascertain payment details as part of an investigation for a means-tested payment.

In the year ended March 2007 my Department received a total of 700 inquiries from Northern Ireland and 100 inquiries from Great Britain. Belfast operations intelligence unit is the single point of contact for non-fraud referrals or inquiries for my Department, relating to jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit and income support. This unit carried out a total of 4,000 checks in the year ended March 2007. Fraud inquiries are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, by fax, to the national intelligence unit in Folkstone. Similar arrangements are also in place for fraud and non-fraud inquiries, with the pensions service, Newcastle-upon-Tyne for pensions and the disability benefit unit, Blackpool for disabled living allowance.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

In addition, in July 2004, a social welfare inspector was assigned to the Garda National Immigration Bureau to assist my Department and the bureau in the investigation of social welfare fraud and breaches of the immigration Acts, to provide information and intelligence and to promote the benefits of a multi-agency approach to immigration and employment law enforcement. A second inspector was assigned to the bureau in August 2006.

A joint control exercise is undertaken periodically at airports and ports in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain. It involves personnel from the Garda National Immigration Bureau, my Department and the United Kingdom immigration service. Social welfare inspectors assigned to the Garda National Immigration Bureau conducted inquiries into 600 social welfare customers in 2006, achieving savings of €3.5 million, and 415 social welfare customers up to the end of November 2007, achieving savings of €3.61 million.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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For the Minister's information there are six minutes for each question, two minutes for the Minister and I wish to leave some time for discussion. The full reply is included in the Official Report.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I must stop giving all this wonderful information if I cannot deliver it.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Minister will be aware of recent media reports in respect of an allegation of fraud in his constituency. That is why I raised this question and I do not suggest that cross-border fraud is the only type that occurs.

The Minister provided figures on prosecutions but I am not sure whether they relate solely to this country or to a group of countries. How many of the prosecutions in question relate to cross-border fraud involving Ireland and other countries? The Department made savings of €375 million last year in respect of anti-fraud measures. How much of that money related to internal fraud and how much related to fraud of a cross-border nature? Is such information readily available to the Minister? What steps has he taken to consult his counterparts in other EU countries, particularly those from which a large number of people have come to Ireland to live and work, in the context of putting in place measures to ensure that payments are only made in one state?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question was specific to Northern Ireland and, therefore, all the information I provided relates to cross-Border fraud involving people from that jurisdiction.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The question relates to cross-border fraud and to EU borders.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There has obviously been a misunderstanding because the information I provided relates specifically to people from Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Deputy's supplementary questions related to all EU borders. There is a memorandum of understanding in place and cases are continually being investigated. The seven prosecutions and the 15 pending relate specifically to fraud involving people from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

I am aware of the issues that have arisen in my constituency. The matter was investigated and I provided information in respect of it. When the data was broken down, and even though a substantial overall number were involved, it appears that only three people were either in breach, to a certain degree, or their cases fell into a somewhat grey area.

There are issues that arise in respect of the broad spectrum. In an EU sense, openness and the necessity to exchange information are crucial. I am not sure of the exact position because I have not yet attended a Council meeting since becoming Minister. However, this will be one of the issues with which we will deal. Reporting is continual among the relevant units here and in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.