Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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732. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí that will be redeployed and from where, to aid the Department of Social Protection in tackling fraud as reported; the grounds on which they will be allowed to question and arrest suspects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45670/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Discussions are near completion on the temporary secondment of a small number (up to 20) of Gardaí on a pilot basis to the Department of Social Protection to work with officers from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of that Department. The SIU's function is to investigate and report on social welfare fraud and abuse, and the Unit already works closely with An Garda Síochána. The Garda members concerned will retain policing powers, and will also be given powers of investigation equivalent to their SIU counterparts.