Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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307. To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 599 of 3 May 2017, if he will provide a breakdown of fraudulent claims for each of the years from 2014 to 2016. [22112/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I understand the Deputy is referring to my reply to question number 599 of 2 May 2017.

As part of the roll-out of the Public Services Card (PSC), my Department introduced facial recognition software in March 2013 to support its efforts to combat identity fraud and impersonation. This software is used to ensure that multiple or fraudulent identities can be detected at the point where a person registers for a personal public services number (PPSN) or a PSC. Where there is suspicion that a person has attempted to gain a PSC where a Card has already been issued to a person matching the same facial profile, the matter is referred to the Department’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to make further enquiries and to refer the matter to An Garda Síochána for investigation and prosecution under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, as appropriate.

As of 25 April 2017, 155 suspected cases of identify fraud have been referred to the SIU and/or An Garda Síochána. These cases are at various stages of investigation. Successful prosecutions have been finalised in court in 21 cases, with 18 people receiving custodial sentences. The Department does not compile data on the number of persons reported and charged with making fraudulent claims for social protection payments by disguising their identity given that this does not impact on the facial recognition process.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.