Welfare crackdown savings 20% ahead of target
A crackdown on non-resident welfare claims has delivered substantial savings to the Government in the past year, it has been revealed.
Actions in a number of areas have delivered savings of some €60m in 2011, 20% more than the €50m target set by the Government for what are known as "control savings".
The increase comes on foot of a number of initiatives by the Department's Special Investigations Unit, including 'direct intervention', where people were visited in their homes and workplaces and checks carried out.
One of the biggest areas of success was a project dealing with non-residency welfare claims.
Some 4,745 cases were reviewed and around 12% of those had their payments terminated, saving the taxpayer some €6.2m.
Social Protection Minister Joan Burton said it proves the Special Investigation Unit set up in her Department was worthwhile.
"We're on target to make savings of some €60m - that's about €10m ahead of the target that was set for the year," she said.
"And we've done that by targeting particular areas where we believe that there is a risk of social welfare fraud or abuse.
"It has actually paid dividends."
Meanwhile, some opposition politicians are calling on the Government to provide amnesty to those who admit to social welfare fraud.
Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Independent Senator Feargal Quinn have urged the Government to implement an amnesty, similar to tax amnesties operated in the past, which they argued would help to eradicate small-scale abuse of the benefits system.
This proposal comes after it emerged that more than 16,000 people contacted the Department of Social Protection this year to let them know about someone involved in social welfare fraud.
