RYAN CALLS FOR JOINED-UP STRATEGY TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL SOCIAL WELFARE FRAUD

Posted on October 11, 2011 11:34 AM   |   Permanent Link   

In a Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education last week, Brendan Ryan, Labour Party TD for Dublin North, asked the Department of Social Protection what efforts have been taken to address the question of non-Irish nationals coming into the country on short trips to collect social welfare payments.
Deputy Ryan spoke to the Committee and congratulated the Department for its efforts to deal with fraud and how in this time of economic crisis, we must make the best use of resources that are available for genuine cases. Speaking to the issue of non-Irish nationals coming into Ireland to claim benefits Deputy Ryan said:
"I raised this issue with the Department in July on foot of a person who came to me who works in the airport and knows what is going on. At the time of the ash cloud the Department suggested there was no evidence of a reduction in claims. This may have been a comfort to the Department. However since then somebody else who works in the airport came to me and had similar stories about non-Irish nationals coming into the country at the end of the month to make claims and leaving (the country) quickly"

Ryan continued "The airlines, the DAA and others working on behalf of other State organisations, such as passport control, have information. There is a real opportunity to address the issue and disprove or get to the bottom of it".
Officials from the Department of Social Protection responded to Deputy Ryan through saying "There is a problem with some people flying into Ireland to claim social welfare benefits. We are addressing this through variance residence checks." The Department did state that "Departmental Inspectors do not have specific powers at ports and airports to conduct checks" and "it would require legislation to grant such powers." The Department did inform Deputy Ryan that it is actively pursuing a change in legislation in this area.