Minister criticises abusers of social welfare system

The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs has criticised those who continue to abuse the social welfare system.

"They are a minority who do a huge disservice to those who legitimately receive the supports they require," Mr Ahern said.

He was speaking following publication of figures by his Department which showed that £109.159 million was saved in "fraud control activities" for the first six months of this year.

The figure for the same period last year was £108.36 million.

"These savings show us that there are people who continue to abuse the welfare system," Mr Ahern said.

Most savings were in the unemployment and illness payments area, where £51.386 million and £19.055 million were saved respectively.

Savings on unemployment schemes were down £3.161 million on the same period last year.

It is believed this figure was influenced by falling numbers on the live register.

Savings in illness schemes were up by almost £2 million.

There were savings of £20.701 million in payments to one-parent families, widows and widowers.

In other pension areas £9.705 million was saved.

Department inspectors paid visits to over 4,500 employers, 92 per cent of whom were found to be compliant.

The number of reviews of claims over the period was 166,000.

Eighty-four cases were sent to the Chief State Solicitor's Office, another 94 were finalised in court, with three people receiving prison sentences relating to unemployment payments.

One of these had fraudulently claimed over £21,000.

Fines between £50 and £750 were imposed on 50 people, and 17 received suspended sentences.