Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she is satisfied with the arrangements for recording and calculating control savings and pursuing perpetrators of social welfare fraud. [40703/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Control savings are calculated by applying validated multipliers to the difference in the rate of payment before and after the control activity. Multipliers used in assessing control savings estimate the total future savings to the Department of a revocation or reduction resulting from a control action. The multiplier used is based on the average amount of time the person who signs off will remain off the books before returning. This time varies from scheme to scheme.

Various tracking exercises have been carried out over the years, which have validated the multipliers in use. There is a comprehensive control guideline which sets out: a) What constitutes a control saving in the various control activities b) The various multipliers to be used in determining savings, c) The method of reporting reviews and savings to Central Control Section

Control Division carry out on-going validation exercises to ensure control savings are recorded correctly. These involve an examination of the various control savings reported to ensure that savings are being compiled and calculated in the correct manner i.e. in accordance with the guideline for determining control savings.

In addition to validation exercises control division provides on-going control training on control activities and savings. In 2008 Control Awareness presentations were made to 121 participants as part of the following courses provided by Staff Development Unit:

Frontline Managers

Advanced Deciding Officers

Local Office Managers

Control Awareness is also a feature of Staff Development Unit's Induction and Customer Service Training Programmes for new staff.

In addition to the Staff Development Unit training programme Control Division also provided control training to 119 staff in Local Offices and Headquarters during 2008. To date in 2009 over 140 staff have been trained in control awareness and reporting.

In relation to pursuing perpetrators of social welfare fraud it is the Department's policy to consider for prosecution all cases of fraud against the social welfare system. Factors taken into account in deciding whether a prosecution should be taken include the monetary value, the duration of the fraud and the deterrent factor. Criminal prosecutions are taken in the main by summary proceedings in the District Courts.

Up to the end of September 2009, 201 cases were forwarded by my Department to the Chief State Solicitors Office to initiate legal proceedings. 273 cases were finalised in court and 872 were in the court system at various stages of the prosecution process.

The control programme of the Department is carefully monitored and the various measures are continuously refined to ensure that they remain effective.