Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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302. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the anti-fraud savings made by his Department through control measures for 2016; the number of reports made by the public to his Department of suspected false welfare claims in 2016; the number of those claims which were valid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22036/17]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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303. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the budget allocated for the current publicity campaign being carried out by his Department calling on the public to report suspected false welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22037/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.

Nearly 950,000 entitlement reviews and investigations were conducted across the Department’s schemes in 2016. These reviews yielded €506 million in control savings for the year. Reviews and investigations of entitlements are conducted by social welfare staff, social welfare inspectors and inspectors assigned to the Special Investigations Unit and a combination of desk-based assessment of entitlements, direct enquiries with recipients of social welfare payments, site and employer visits and face-to-face interviews are used.

The value of savings recorded by staff for the year 2016 was €506m. Savings are calculated when a social welfare claim is reduced in value or terminated following a review or investigation initiated by the Department. Control savings do not include any element where the customer voluntarily told the Department of changes in their means or circumstances which resulted in a reduction in the rate of payment or termination of the claim. Departmental error cases are also excluded from the savings figure.

The basis of the savings calculated is scheme specific. The nature of the scheme is taken into account - in particular whether it is short-term (e.g. jobseeker’s benefit or supplementary welfare allowance) or more long-term (e.g. State Pension Contributory/Non-Contributory). Also taken into account is the length of time a person who has a claim reduced or terminated is expected to remain off a particular scheme or at the reduced rate of payment.

Over 18,700 reports of suspected social welfare fraud were made by members of the public last year. All reports are received on an anonymous and confidential basis. While the Department does not track the outcome of the individual allegations of wrongdoing received, internal assurance checking indicates that around 1 in 3 reports received results in the value of the payment made being reduced or terminated.

The cost of the advertising campaign is €165,988 excluding VAT. It includes all design and advertising costs associated with the campaign (print advertising, national and regional radio advertising, outdoor and online/digital advertising). No additional costs arise in staff resources, website development or the provision of the telephone reporting facility.

I hope this clarifies the matters for the Deputy.