Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 558: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is being dealt with in such a manner by his Department; and if child benefit will remain with this person in view of the fact that they answered the survey form in 2007. [11580/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Child Benefit section routinely contact customers to ensure that they still meet the conditions for receipt of the benefit and are receiving their full entitlement. Since late 2007, an automated process has been introduced that will issue a residency certification letter to selected groups of customers on a regular periodic basis.

The person referred to was written to in December 2006 as part of an earlier review project and returned the completed enquiry letter in January 2007. In January 2008, she was randomly selected for inclusion in the new automated residency certification letter issue. This letter was issued to some 5000 customers to confirm their residency and their children's continued residency in Ireland.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 559: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if all applicants of child benefit are asked to fill out the survey form regarding preschool or crèche attendance of their children and to provide details of when their children last attended a doctor; the relevance of the survey form; the use this information is put to; the number of people selected for this survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11581/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 560: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of child benefit claimants in 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008 that have been asked to fill out a survey form, confirming preschool or crèche attendance of their children and confirming the date their children last attended a doctor; the nationality of the child benefit claimants who were asked to fill out this survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11582/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 560 together.

The Child Benefit scheme has, in recent years, years experienced significant expansion in the volume of claims received, the rates of payment and the diversity of the customer base. Over the last five years, the rate of benefit has almost doubled. The annual cost in 2008 will be in excess of €2.3 billion and the payment is now made for children of some 180 nationalities living in Ireland.

Against this background, the control policy for the child benefit scheme has been reviewed to ensure that controls against fraud and abuse of the scheme continue to be effective and relevant. As a result of the review, enhanced and updated control measures have been devised. These include the issue of certificates to sub-sets of selected groups of customers for completion and return to the Department to confirm that they continue to satisfy the conditions for receipt of Child Benefit. Customers selected for the reviews have to date been selected by and large from non-Irish nationals in receipt of Child Benefit, both those with children resident in Ireland and those working here whose children are resident outside of Ireland. The review process will be expanded to include other customer groups in the future.

In the case of non-Irish national recipients who are resident in Ireland with their children, certification is requested that the children continue to reside here — the proof of such residence can be provided via details of the school or college their child attends or, if the child is not of school-going age, details of the doctor or crèche they attend. This information is used solely to verify that the children are resident in Ireland.

In the case of EU nationals who are working in Ireland but who have qualified children living in another EU state, certification by their employer of continuing employment is requested. This information is not used for any other purpose. Where the required certification is not provided within the timescale requested (21 days) the payment of Child Benefit is suspended pending further enquiry. If certification is subsequently provided any payments of child benefit which were suspended will be made in full.

A percentage of all replies is checked to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, with cases referred to Social Welfare Investigators for follow-up action as necessary. These reviews commenced in November 2007 and approximately 23,000 review letters have issued since then. This number will increase in the coming months and it is expected that in excess of 100,000 customers will be reviewed in 2008 (this equates to 18% of all Child Benefit customers.)