Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the system in place to ensure that persons who have left the country do not continue to receive child benefit or early childhood payments to which they are no longer entitled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17705/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. All Child Benefit claims require a minimum level of information and documentation to be provided and verified before being awarded. The amount of information and documentation required varies depending on the customer circumstances, for instance the child's place of birth.

Given the significant changes in the Child Benefit customer base and in the value of Child Benefit payments, the control policy for the child benefit scheme, and consequently the Early Child care Supplement (ECS) scheme, has been reviewed to ensure that controls against fraud and abuse of the schemes continue to be effective and relevant. As a result of this review, enhanced and updated control measures have been devised, which include the automated issue of forms (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/ECS.

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 creche they attend. This information is used to verify that the children are resident in Ireland.

With regard to EU nationals who are working in Ireland but who have qualified children living in another EU state and are entitled to Irish family benefits under EU law, certification by their employer of continuing employment is requested. The certification letters currently issue on a three monthly basis. Where the required certification is not provided within the timescale requested, 21 days, the payment of Child Benefit/ECS is suspended pending further enquiry and ultimately terminated if confirmation of continued entitlement is not forthcoming. Following double-checking of the accuracy of the information that is provided, some cases are also referred to Social Welfare Investigators for follow-up action as necessary.