Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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326. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way in which fraud is being tackled in his Department; the number of persons he has sanctioned to investigate claims; the number of licensed investigators that are operating here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24224/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The majority of people in receipt of a payment from my Department receive what they are entitled to. Nevertheless, my Department recognises that abuse of the welfare system is an ongoing reality and must be tackled. Anti-fraud measures are set out in the Department’s Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 and are designed to prevent, deter and detect fraud and to ensure effective oversight of schemes and recovery of any sums overpaid.

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. My Department recorded overpayment of entitlements of some €110 million in 2016 of which €41 million related to fraud in 16,225 cases.

A number of measures are used to prevent fraud from entering the social welfare system, allied to actions to deter fraudulent behaviour. The continued roll-out of the Public Services Card has considerably reduced the potential for identity fraud. Additional developments have seen the introduction of data analytics software and techniques, improved data-matching capacity and data-sharing arrangements, both internally and with the Revenue Commissioners and with other state agencies. A new debt management system became operational at the end of 2014 and has supported the roll-out of improved debt management capacity. Staff who are engaged in claim reviews and investigations receive training to identify instances of fraudulent claiming. The Department continues to improve its technical ability to identify risks, to ensure cross-referencing of information held in respect of claimants, to reinforce its fraud prevention work and to use the statutory powers granted by the Oireachtas.

Members of the public also play an important role in supporting anti-fraud activities. Some 19,000 reports from concerned members of the public were received during 2016. The recent fraud awareness campaign has helped to highlight the positive role that members of the public can play in supporting the Department to protect the social welfare system. Since the launch of the campaign on 18 April, the recorded number of reports received has exceeded 3,000 when account is taken of vexatious and frivolous reports.

Additional control work undertaken includes an annual programme of fraud and error surveys which are agreed with the Comptroller and Auditor General. During 2016, the Department published surveys on Farm Assist, on the Household Benefits package where no other social welfare payment is made and on Family Income Supplement. A further three surveys will be completed and published during 2017.

The Deputy will be aware that I recently published legislative proposals to introduce sanctions on persons who have been convicted by the courts of social welfare fraud. At present, no social welfare sanctions exist for persons who are convicted other than a requirement to repay the sums defrauded. The measures I have included in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017 will see the names of persons who are convicted of social welfare fraud being published on a quarterly basis and a disqualification from part of a person’s weekly social welfare payment imposed for a period of nine weeks following conviction.

Some 350 social welfare inspectors are specially assigned with powers to investigate claims and inspect employers. In addition, there are 110 trained investigators in the Special Investigations Unit. Additionally, the Deputy should note that control work forms a central part of the work of all staff across the Department, including those who work in support roles such as systems development, IT, financial and corporate management, as well as front-line staff in Intreo Centres and centralised scheme areas. Separately, 40 staff work in the central control area, 22 staff deal with identity services and a further 44 staff are assigned to overpayment administration and recovery.

The Department has no information on the number of licensed investigators that are operating within the jurisdiction and does not contract such external expertise for social welfare investigation work.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.