Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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96. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her Department's estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of social welfare fraud in 2013 and the projected cost in 2014. [5955/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The vast majority of people receiving social welfare payments are legitimately entitled to them. It should be borne in mind that there is often a perception of fraud, however when a case is examined the individual may be doing something that is allowed under the rules for receipt of the particular payment. For example, a person may work and still receive the one-parent family payment provided their earnings are within the set limits.

The only reliable measure of excess payments by the Department through fraudulent claiming is by way of fraud overpayments raised. To prove fraud requires careful investigation of the case, establishment of the facts often under a cautioned interview, a disallowance of payment by the deciding officer and the setting up of an overpayment in respect of the historical period, where that is possible.

In 2012, the total value of overpayments raised amounted to €97m; this represents less than 0.5% of total Departmental expenditure. Overpayments arising from activity suspected of being fraudulent accounted for €41m of the total overpayments in 2012. Overpayments recorded in 2013 form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are not available until they have been audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

A strategic approach to combating social welfare fraud is in place through the Department’s Fraud Initiative. In this regard, fraud detection and control systems have been refined and enhanced in recent years and are subject to continuing review.