Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of Operation Gull aimed at curbing cross-border social welfare fraud; and if the operation has been concluded or if it is ongoing. [43138/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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A Social Welfare Inspector was assigned to the Garda National Investigation Bureau, GNIB, in July 2004 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.

Operation Gull is a joint control exercise undertaken periodically at Airports and Ports in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Great Britain and the operations involve personnel from the GNIB, and the United Kingdom Immigration Service. My Department, through its assignment of Social Welfare Inspectors to the GNIB, participates in these exercises.

I am satisfied that assigning Social Welfare Inspectors to the GNIB has proved beneficial for both organisations and that Operation Gull is an example of the benefits of inter agency and international co-operation. The operation is ongoing and my Department will continue to support such operations in every possible way.