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THE GOVERNMENT HAS confirmed that there has been a surge in reports of suspected social welfare fraud since the controversial “Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All” campaign was launched.
As reported in the Irish Times this morning, the figures emerged from a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin’s John Brady to new Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty.
Brady asked Doherty to provide details of the number of allegations received since the beginning of the campaign, which launched on 18 April.
She replied: “Since the launch of the recent campaign on 18 April last, 4,859 reports have been received from members of the public.
This compares with some 3,322 reports which were received over the same period in 2016. The reports are now being examined and will be referred for follow-up action by the Department, where this is warranted based on the information provided.
This translates to roughly 500 cases reported each week.
Doherty added that a detailed investigation follows if the department deems that the report it has received from a member of the public is worth pursuing.
She added: “A payment will not be suspended or stopped on the basis of the report received from a member of the public”.
Controversy
The campaign launched by now-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in mid-April drew considerable debate with a former social welfare inspector calling it “a hate campaign”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke earlier this month, Bernadette Gorman said she had never come across the level of fraud claimed by the campaign.
When launching it, Varadkar said: “However, we take fraud very seriously and have a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure that people receive what they are entitled to.
Nothing upsets people more than someone else cheating the system at their expense.
A Claire Byrne Live/Amárach Research poll conducted in May found that 64% of people agree with Varadkar’s policy decision, despite some of the backlash it’s received.
This FactCheck from TheJournal.ie showed that the Department’s marquee claims that €500 million was saved in Ireland last year on foot of members of the public reporting relatives, friends, neighbours, and acquaintances on suspicion of benefit fraud was false.
Today, we revealed that some members of the Department had concerns over the use of the word “cheat” in the campaign.
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Out of character and congestion cited as reasons means this gets the NIMBY seal of approval, even as the OPW!
@BreadBasketCase: Do you know the roads around there? They are very tight & already chocked in mornings….
@Rhona Quinn: wouldn’t worry about it. The phrase NIMBY gets tossed around like snuff at a wake on these articles. It’s very trendy to be pro-development these days, usually from people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
Concentrate your efforts where it matters.
@jamesdecay: thanks James. Will do. It does seem to be one of the current catch phrases eh??
You wouldn’t think we have a major housing crisis. And most of the congestion is caused by long density, car dependent housing as well as lack of supply closer to the city centre forcing people to commute.
Let the homeless use the Botanic Gardens then.
We want houses built!!!!!
But er’ just not in my area….
I’m from the area, a lot of the traffic is school traffic for people who live near enough to walk or cycle. To many people feel entitled to use their car when they don’t need to. The kids are fat enough already.
@Paul Moran: I’m also from the area and two of the three schools are primary schools. With zero cycling infrastructure I wouldn’t feel safe letting younger kids cycle in. Besides, traffic is still heavy even when the schools are off
Plus there’s the planned developments of the old model school across the road from Glasnevin motors and the Addison lodge just 400 metres down the road. Throw in the build going on at the Smurfit factory and that’s an absolutely huge amount of development going on in an area that struggles to cope already
have your say