Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All of us would like to be associated with the remarks Senator James Heffernan and to wish Mr. John Thomas McNamara speedy recovery.

Following up on the comments of Senator Quinn on the free travel scheme, there is widespread abuse of the system. It is because of a lack of security in the documentation. It is far too easy to forge documentation. There is no photographic identification on the travel pass and no way of proving the person travelling is the person who owns the travel pass. It throws up the issue of social welfare fraud and I asked the Leader for a debate on social welfare fraud and, particularly, social welfare tourism. Recently, three people entered the country on a Ryanair flight to Dublin Airport and visited three post offices in three counties. They left the country with ¤7,000 and made arrangements for transport to take them to the same locations in a month's time. I am told this is quite common and we need a debate with the Minister for Social Protection. We need to see what processes and procedures are in place to stamp this out. Whatever identification system we have is not working. We need to use fingerprinting to identify people and ensure that the name and photograph of people claiming benefits at the post office comes up on a screen. If there is duplication, which has happened on more than one occasion, it should be identified immediately. This is a major issue and, at a time when everyone is feeling the pinch and the State needs all its resources to fund badly needed services, we need to stamp out this practice.

Will the Leader organise this debate as soon as possible after the Easter recess?